FARGO - Two men said they acted on instinct when they charged into a burning home in response to a neighbor's plea that people could be inside.

Two families live at the house but no one was home.

Jordan Herman, 20, and Grant Peterson, 18, went through the back door to search the house.

"I went upstairs to see if anyone was in there, and the TV and lights were still on," said Herman, who will be a sophomore at North Dakota State this fall. "I covered my face with my shirt because the smoke was so thick. It looked like a wall."

To get out of the home, Herman said kicked open a window and leaped 15 feet to the ground, cutting his wrist and injuring his foot.

Peterson, who lives less than a block from the home, searched the main floor. When he couldn't find anyone, he escaped out the back door.

"I thought maybe someone was inside, but I didn't see anyone inside," said Peterson.

Tanya Hildebrant, who lives with her two children, her boyfriend Troy Reinke and his three children on the main floor, was thankful no one was injured.

But the couple likely lost four of their five cats and an iguana in the blaze. Herman was able to save the oldest cat, Pokey.

Laurie Sundquist, who lives with her two children on the second floor, was shopping for groceries with her 15-year-old daughter and escaped the fire. Her 13-year-old son was with friends.

The fire caused about $100,000 in damages, said Fargo Assistant Fire Chief Steve Balstad.

A cause has not been determined.