WELLS — A rural Wells family is grateful to be alive but saddened over the loss of their home Friday because of a fire that started in their basement.

Jason Possin said he and his wife, Sheena, were sleeping on couches on the main level of the house, at 58533 210th St., northeast of Wells, when Sheena was awoken by the smell of smoke.

A fire had started in the basement and was growing.

“The first thing we did was grab the kids out of there,” he said.

The children, Jayden, 9, Carly, 6, Jemma, 3, and Ella, 11 months, were sleeping in rooms on the upstairs level.

Jason said while Sheena gathered the kids together, he went down to the basement with a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the blaze.

After about 30 seconds, he said, he realized there was nothing he could do and ran out of the house. The family’s two dogs also safely got outside.

He pulled his cars out of the attached garage, and then the family waited for firefighters to respond.

He said when firefighters arrived at the house, the structure was fully engulfed in flames.

“It was the scariest fire I’ve ever seen,” Jason said.

Wells Fire Chief Mike Pyzick said the fire was reported at about 12:15 a.m. Firefighters from Wells, Freeborn, Minnesota Lake and Easton battled the blaze for four hours, part of which was attributed to winds from the south estimated between 30 and 35 mph.

At one point, two firefighters received minor burns to their arms and hands. They were treated at the scene by Wells ambulance crews.

The house was ultimately a total loss, with half of the house and the attached garage completely leveled. Only a few walls remain standing.

Jason, a farmer, said it has been difficult for him to think about what has happened, as he is already facing stresses that come in spring during planting season.

He has lived in the house for seven years.

Only a few hours after the fire, he said he plans to rebuild.

“I’ve got a lot invested here,” he said.

The cause of the fire had not yet been determined as of Friday evening.

Pyzick said he met with a representative of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, who will be handling the investigation.

He anticipated it could be a lengthy investigation.