Stonington - All four people who live at 9 Oriole St. in Pawcatuck were able to evacuate safely Tuesday morning after a fire erupted there about 9:30 a.m., according to Daniel Maderia, 22, who lives in the house with his sister, mother and stepfather. 

Maderia, who said he’s lived in the house his whole life, was on his way to an appointment when the fire started. He received a call from his sister, who was in the house with a friend at the time the fire began in the basement. 

Kevin Burns, fire marshal for the Pawcatuck Fire Department, said the department was looking into several possibilities for the cause of the fire. He specifically mentioned the possibility of an electric heater or a candle in the basement. The house was extensively damaged. Maderia said he and the rest of his family had options for a place to stay. 

Fire personnel from multiple districts, including Pawcatuck, Wequetequock, Old Mystic and Stonington, responded to the scene. By 11 a.m., the fire had been extinguished.

j.bergman@theday.com

Twitter: @juliasbergman