A fire tore through a home in the Corydon area early Tuesday morning, with flames leaping to a second home before crews were able to get the blaze under control.

Damage is pegged at $600,000 to the first home and $400,000 to the second home. 

One person was rescued from inside the first home and was taken to hospital in stable condition with minor burns to his hands and feet. 

Geoffrey Owen said he's grateful to be alive. He awoke Tuesday to find his home on fire. 

"When I tried to get out, I was hit with a wall of flames," he said. Crews managed to locate him on a second-storey ledge of the burning house and rescued him. 

Four others had already made it out safely. 

Firefighters first arrived on scene at the house at the corner of McMillan Street and Daly Street North to find it completely engulfed in flames around 2 a.m. Tuesday. 

"When we arrived, the first house was fully involved and (flames) through the roof," said District Chief Gord Carlow. 

The flames jumped to a neighbouring house. 

"The proximity of the homes was so close together that the fire spread from one to another very quickly because of the intense heat. It didn't take long for the second house to get going," said Carlow.

Two homeowners managed to escape and crews were able to retrieve their two cats. 

"Thank you so much - I don't know what I'd do without them," said one homeowner to firefighters.  

Crews had to deal with gas leaks afterwards coming from both affected houses. As a precaution, nearby homes were evacuated, along with a neighbouring apartment block. 

"We have a gas leak in the soil so we've pulled everybody back and we're venting that," said Carlow Tuesday morning. 

Shortly before noon, people in neighbouring homes were allowed to return to their houses. 

Geoffrey Owen's home is now set for demolition after being gutted by the blaze.

"I'll be okay. I've got some great friends and my parents live a block away," he said. 

Investigators are working to determine the fire's cause.

- with a report from CTV's Rajeev Dhir