MEREDITH — A one-alarm fire heavily damaged a home on Meredith Center Road Saturday, leaving a family temporarily homeless.

The fire started in a single-story attached back section of a two-story wood home located at 236 Meredith Center Road.

According to Tom Joslin, the deputy fire chief of the Meredith Fire Department, the fire broke out around noon while the family was inside.

Joslin said there had been several people at the home when the blaze broke out, but they all got out safely and were standing outside when fire crews arrived.

Joslin said the cause was undetermined, as was the point of origin.

He added that a family member told him the fire started in the laundry room.

The owner of the house was identified as Tracy McGuire by her brother, Sean McGuire, who came to his sister's home immediately after he heard about the fire.

"They are collecting what they can that's salvageable," McGuire said, shaking his head.

A woman then came out of the home and said Tracy McGuire was too distraught to comment and wanted the press to leave.

A fire caused heavy damage to a home at 236 Meredith Center Road Saturday afternoon. (Ray Mongeau/Citizen photo) Click here to view Foster's prints for sale

"I called a first alarm because I was afraid it would extend into the whole house," Joslin said.

The back section was gutted, the roof over that section was gone as were sections of wall, exposing charred vertical beams of wood.

Heavy smoke and water damage was done to half of the two-story part of the house and Joslin said the family would not be able to stay at the residence.

He said the Red Cross came the scene and will help the family with necessities and with temporary shelter.

Friends and relatives of the family gathered at the home Saturday to help the family salvage what belongings they could and to offer their support.

Firefighters from Laconia, New Hampton and Holderness assisted Meredith Firefighters at the scene.