LISBON — Ten people escaped an early morning fire on Route 196 on Thursday.

The fire was reported by a tenant who lived in a garage apartment, who woke residents in the nearby house, which included seven children and two adults. Lisbon firefighters were called to 381 Lisbon St. at 3:50 a.m.

Lisbon Fire Chief Nate LeClair said a police officer was first to arrive on the scene and reported there was a garage on fire. When LeClair arrived, he found the detached garage ablaze. Flames were threatening to spread to the house, located about 10 feet away. By the time crews had set up, the fire had spread to the main structure and entered the kitchen.

With the garage overcome by flames, firefighters focused on saving the house. With few firefighters responding from Lisbon at 4 a.m., LeClair called for additional firefighters from Sabattus, Topsham, Durham and Lewiston to help keep the fire from spreading to the eaves and attic.

Firefighters later learned half of the garage had been converted into an apartment that was home to a single tenant.

The garage and a minivan are destroyed. The American Red Cross is helping the displaced residents.

“We’re pretty lucky that we didn’t have fatalities and that the occupant in the apartment woke up when he did, because there were no working smoke detectors in the apartment or the house,” LeClair said.

LeClair said the cause of the fire was determined as accidental and likely smoking related.

Route 196 was closed down at Mill Street and reopened at around 7 a.m.