SAUGUS — Fire Chief Don McQuaid said a fire Monday morning knocked out power and phone lines to a Holland Street home but the residents didn’t have to go far to find the Fire Department.

“They tried to call from the home, but the line was dead so they went next door, which happened to be the house of former Chief James Blanchard,” McQuaid said Monday morning. “He lives right next door so it was very convenient.”

McQuaid said firefighters received a report of a possible fire at 59 Holland St. at 4:20 a.m. Monday.

He said a woman reported awaking to “a loud pop,” and her husband went into the living room of the single-family, ranch-style home and found the room filling with smoke.

McQuaid said the exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but evidence suggests an electrical problem triggered the incident.

He said the wire delivering electricity to the house was “arcing” – basically glowing and indicative of an electrical problem – and caught the house on fire. He said National Grid responded within 10 to 15 minutes to shut off power to the home and fire officials were able to douse the blaze with water. Meanwhile, two engines and a ladder from Saugus, as well as an engine each from Wakefield and Lynn responded to the scene of the fire while Malden and Melrose departments provided backup at the fire station, according to the log.

McQuaid reported damage to the home’s interior walls where the electrical utilities entered and where firefighters had to remove wall boards to ensure that the fire was extinguished.

He said both residents at the home were uninjured and able to stay warm at Chief Blanchard’s house before going to stay with relatives.

Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].