East Lyme — A cigarette left in a pile of mulch Saturday night started an early Sunday morning fire that forced five people out of their home, according to the fire marshal.

Firefighters responded to 203 Flanders Road early Sunday morning and found flames engulfing the left side of the building.

All five residents of the home, including a small child, were at home and evacuated when smoke detectors went off. No injuries were reported, according to Fire Marshal Richard Morris.

The fire started just after 5:30 a.m. in a mulch pile under a shrub in front of one of two triangular arches in the front of the house, Morris said.

One of the residents told firefighters he had thrown a cigarette into the mulch pile about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, and Morris said the cigarette is thought to be the cause.

The house’s three apartments are uninhabitable due to smoke and water damage. The five residents – two single men and a married couple with a young child – have moved in with family members in the area, Morris said.

Firefighters from the Flanders and Niantic fire departments, Waterford’s Oswegatchie Fire Department and the Old Saybrook FAST team were able to extinguish the fire within minutes.

The fire spread quickly to the second floor because of the house’s open space layout and the old wood on its exterior, Morris said.

“It was an excellent stop by the fire department,” he said.

m.shanahan@theday.com