VANCOUVER -- Fortunately no one was home when a fire broke out at a house in North Vancouver early Wednesday morning, firefighters say.

Crews were called to what they called a "difficult residential structure fire" at Connaught Avenue and St. James Road in the early hours.

Residents of the area noticed flames pouring from the building at around 4 a.m., and the District of North Vancouver Fire Rescue Services says fire was coming through the roof when crews arrived.

With help from the North Vancouver City Fire Department, the fire was "quickly extinguished," DNVFRS said in a message on Twitter.

"Luckily no one was in the home, as it was being renovated," firefighters wrote.