What began as an attempt to scare geese from a pond resulted in the total loss of a Niles Township home Wednesday.

Crews were called to a house in the 1200 block of Morris Drive, in Niles Township Wednesday to fight the blaze, according to Niles Township Fire Chief Gary Brovold.

The fire raged for nearly three hours before authorities could put it out. The house was declared a total loss.

Brovold said the fire started underneath the deck, after the man attempted to frighten geese with firecrackers.

“He thought he had everything out and he went back inside the house and then saw smoke a little later,” Brovold said.

At the time of the blaze the man and his wife were inside the house. Both escaped the fire and were uninjured.  The SMCAS ambulance team was on the scene to assist.

Firefighters from Niles Township, Niles City, Bertrand Township and Buchanan Township, Howard Township and Clay Township battled the blaze.

“The whole back of the house was fully engulfed when we got here,” Brovold said.

Firefighters also faced the challenge in accessing the fire. Due to structural damage on the house caused by the flames, firefighters could not enter the house and had to fight the fire from the outside in by busting holes in the wall and floor of the home, which allowed them to insert water and foam hoses into the house.

“The deterioration of the structure was not sound. Once you start having collapse, nobody goes in,” Brovold said. “We are not going to hurt somebody by going inside the house.”

Authorities returned to the scene Thursday morning to check the structure for hot spots. They continued to hose down the remains of the house and monitor the area.

From the back of the house, a charred structure remained. The burned out walls allowed for a glimpse inside the house, where much of the furniture and possessions had been reduced to rubble.

Brovold offered a few words of caution to those who will be using fireworks this summer.

“Use them properly as they are intended in a clear open area, with water available if something does happen to start,” Brovold said.