LEWISTON – Jeff Aube was playing cribbage with his two children when his wife came into the living room and asked if they smelled smoke.

Minutes later, the entire family, including their two dogs, was standing outside as fire spread through the house.

Firefighters arrived at 52 King Ave. about 2:30 p.m. to find flames shooting through the roof of the two-story home.

They were able to extinguish the blaze in about an hour, but not before it destroyed the home.

Lewiston fire Inspector Pete Morrell said Monday night he had determined that the fire began near the attic space on the second floor. The cause of the blaze, however, was undetermined. Morrell said he planned to conduct more interviews as his investigation continues.

Damage to the building was estimated at $125,000.

Aube, his wife, his 16-year-old son, his 10-year-old daughter and his two dogs have lived in the house for four years. They rented it from Randy Bouchard.

The family had recently put up their Christmas tree, and Aube had recently received a big shipment of presents in the mail for his children and other relatives.

He also was in the process of trying to open a small gift shop in the house.

“I just lost all kinds of stuff,” he said, as firefighters cut through the roof of the house with a chain saw. “But I’m glad everybody is OK, and I’m glad I have my dogs.”

It was Aube’s 10-year-old daughter who first spotted the fire.

After Aube’s wife mentioned the smell, the entire family started looking for what was causing it. The girl went outside, looked up and saw flames.

Aube gathered everyone outside, then used his cellular phone to call 911.

Balancing on a slanted roof, firefighters ripped off the siding and cut a hole through the second floor to get the fire in the walls.

Aube wasn’t sure where his family would spend the night. It was the second time they lost everything in a fire. The building where they lived before their daughter was born burned down in 1991.

“I kind of can’t believe it,” Aube said.