LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two people had to be rescued from a house fire Tuesday morning in Louisville's Portland neighborhood.

Louisville Division of Fire officials said no one called 911 about the fire at 26th Street and Griffiths Avenue. Firefighters were on a medical call and actually spotted the flames from the fire house just before 8:30 a.m. and responded.

"It's one of the dangers with vacant structures is they'll get going and since there's nobody there to actually call it in," Chief Brian O'Neill said.

Heavy flames and smoke were coming from the vacant home when firefighters rolled up on the scene. Chief Brian O'Neill said one person was rescued from the first floor and a second from above the porch.

Intense flames melted the siding on a second home next to the house.

Two people had to be rescued from a house fire Tuesday morning in Louisville's Portland neighborhood.

O'Neill said the two people were staying in the vacant home and shouldn't have been there. He said local shelters have white flags in place during the intense cold, and more people need to go to shelters.

"People need to understand, we understand how bitterly cold it is. People are gonna do whatever they can to stay warm," O'Neill said. "Certainly the city has a lot of resources out. The white flags are out at all the shelters, so we try to encourage people to get there and get warm."

The brutal cold made it difficult for firefighters as they sprayed water on the burning home. After the fire was out, shrubs and nearby walkways were covered in ice. A bus was brought in to help firefighters deal with the cold.

"It doesn't matter if it's zero degrees or 100 degrees, if you call 911 we're gonna come and help," O'Neill said.

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters said if you're concerned about a vacant building in your neighborhood, you can report it to 311.

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