FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A man, his son and a dog were safely evacuated from their Fort Lauderdale home after it erupted in flames.

Fort Lauderdale Police units responded to the scene of the house fire along the 2500 block of Middle River Driver, just before 7:30 a.m. on Friday.

Crews arrived at the home to encounter heavy flames spewing from the garage’s roof.

The firefight lasted roughly 40 minutes, according to officials.

While the blaze posed a severe threat to the home, the damage was minimized since crews were able to contain the fire to the garage.

Mark Von Zwhel was home with his puppy, Sedona, and 9-year-old son Zander when the fire broke out.

“I was terrified, but I’m good under pressure,” said Von Zwhel.

Although the house sustained some smoke damage, its structural integrity doesn’t appear to be affected and it’s likely still habitable.

Von Zwhel said he’s just relieved he and his family made it out unharmed.

“So I was in the backroom, and I heard some knocking on the side of the house, but as soon as I walked out the bedroom door, I saw smoke, I grabbed my son, the dog was following me — she’s right behind me, she isn’t going to leave me — and we got out of the house, and I called 911,” he said. “I went back in, opened the garage door, because it seemed to be the heat source, and flames are coming out of the garage door, so I shut the door and I got back out of the house. Just left everything behind, and everybody is safe. The best thing to do is just leave.”

Firefighters gifted Zander a department T-shirt, giving the young boy a reason to smile as his family navigates this unforeseen misfortune.

“That’s awesome! Did one of the firefighters give that to you?” asked 7News reporter Dannielle Garcia.

“Yeah,” Zander replied.

“What do you think about that?” she asked.

“Good,” he replied.

“I mean, how was the fire for you this morning?” Garcia asked.

“Scary,” the child said.

“Yeah, I’m sure it was scary, but now how are you feeling?” Garcia asked, to which the boy replied “OK,” adding that he lost some valuables in the fire.

Some of his father’s most prized possessions were damaged in the fire as well.

“Oldsmobile I inherited, a 1969 Oldsmobile, so I’m really worried about that. The other car was my wife’s uncle’s, and he gave me the car, and it reminded me of the car that my sister had when we were younger, a 1972 Cadillac, so I treasure that car, I put all my work into that car, so hopefully I can get it fixed,” said Von Zwhel.

On the brighter side, Von Zwhel said, he’s grateful for the fire department’s quick response.

“The fire department came right away. There were a tremendous amount of trucks and everybody lined up, and then they just said, ‘This is what you have to do, but take it slow,’” he said. “It’s a very emotional moment, but I appreciate the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department and the City of Fort Lauderdale. I mean, the services were unbelievable; they saved my house.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though the fire department said it’s likely a lithium battery that caught fire.

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