BATON ROUGE - First responders reacted to a house fire off Highland Park Drive on Thursday morning.

A call was made to Baton Rouge emergency officials at approximately 6:46 a.m. Thursday. When first responders arrived, the crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the front window. Firefighters entered and contained the fire by 7:00 a.m. with the homeowner, John Purpera, outside the house safely outside.

The home suffered significant smoke and water damage. Investigators said the fire was caused by an improperly disposed cigarette. 

"I open (the door) a little crack and there's a little fire on the floor. But the smoke got so thick, I couldn't see no more," Purpera told WBRZ while covered in soot. "I had to find my way through the door and come out."

He noticed the fire after his brother, whom he lives with, was leaving for work.

Purpera, who is paralyzed in one leg and blind in one eye, added that he doesn't have insurance, but he needs to fix the house somehow, asking "to get some community help."

"Right now, I'm gonna go to my sister's house and she's gonna take care of me," Purpera said.