An elderly man was treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at his home.
The fire, in a semi-detached house in Stoneleigh Way, Leicester, started at about 2.30pm on Friday.
Firefighters found it "well alight" when they arrived.
The occupier was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation.
The fire service said a faulty electric heater was believed to have caused the blaze.
A next-door neighbour said: "When I heard about the fire I called to my friend upstairs and we ran out.
"We had to stay out because they were worried it might spread to my house.
"I was crying and it was frightening. Thankfully, it did not spread to my house, but the man has lost everything. It is very sad."
The ground floor was severely damaged.
Firefighters also tackled a blaze at a house in Seagrave Road, Sileby, on Saturday.
Two crews from Loughborough and one from Syston were called to the property at about 9.10am.
A spokesman for the fire service said: "We believe the cause to be an electrical light fitting."
Nobody was injured.
