New London — City firefighters quickly extinguished a basement fire early this morning at a home at 216 Jefferson Ave.

Battalion Chief Tom Curcio said when crews arrived at the scene heavy smoke was coming from the basement level. He said all on-duty firefighters responded to the scene. The fire was reported at 3:41 a.m.

Curcio said the fire was quickly knocked down and contained to the basement.

He said the two occupants of the home were lucky to escape without injury because there were no smoke detectors in the home.

He said one of the residents was working on a computer when she heard popping noises come from the basement.

"They were lucky because smoke was traveling up the basement stairwell," said Curcio.

Curcio said the American Red Cross was called to the scene to help the residents because they were displaced from the home. Curcio said the home sustained heat and smoke damage.

The Submarine FAST team, Yankee Gas and Connecticut Light & Power also responded.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.