PERTH COUNTY, ONT. -- Perth East Fire Department investigators say it’s lucky no one was killed, after numerous people entered a burning house Sunday night near Rostock.

Fire Prevention Officer James Marshall says multiple people entered the burning home, just north of Rostock, even though nobody was home at the time the fire occurred.

“While we understand and appreciate the stress of watching a fire occur, we cannot stress enough that no one should ever enter a burning building. There is a reason we wear all our personnel protective equipment. Fire kills, smoke kills, carbon monoxide kills,” he says.

Fire crews from Sebringville, Milverton, and Monkton were called to the house fire Sunday night around 6 p.m. The home was engulfed in flames and was a total loss. The damage estimate is $425,000.