Mother Nature did not help out the Ironton Fire Department Sunday afternoon as firefighters battled a house fire in South Ironton.

Just as the snow and ice really began to fall at approximately 2 p.m., the IFD responded to a call at 1406 S. Third St. where the upper parts of the house were on fire. The blaze was apparently started by an electrical problem but was contained in the upper and lower attic areas, Chief Tom Runyon said.

"There was smoke coming from both ends of the attic and flames coming from the back of the house when they arrived," Runyon said. "I think they did a real good job of holding it in place and getting it out."

Weather conditions did make the department's job a little more difficult giving them problems keeping their feet underneath them and keeping the hoses from freezing, Runyon said. Firefighters were on the scene for nearly three hours.

"The fire was under control within 20 to 25 minutes," Runyon said. "It was just a slippery operation."

The home is owned by Joyce Bradford but rented to Mary Stapleton for the past two and a half years. Three tenants - Ernest Stapleton, Erica Callicoat and William Mask - were home but no one was injured, Runyon said.

"One of the tenants smelled something, felt heat on the wall and saw a glow, so he got everyone out," he said.

The extent of the damage will be determined by the assessors, the chief said.