SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Firefighters battled a fire at a home at 433 Gifford Street in Syracuse this morning. Officials said the fire started around 10:30 a.m. in the basement. Crews were able to keep it from spreading to the rest of the house, but said it wasn't an easy task, considering where the fire started.

"Sometimes basement fires can be very difficult because you could imagine the heat, fire, and smoke has only one way to go and it's going to go out the stairs. And that's the same way that we're going to try to get down to the basement," said Mark McLees, Syracuse Fire Department Chief.

Everyone was able to get out safely and Red Cross is now helping out the residents. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.