ALOHA, Ore. -- A family of five escaped their burning home in Aloha and avoided serious injury Thursday.

The fire broke out at 2 a.m. on Southwest 203rd Avenue. Neighbors said it's the second fire at the house in the past year.

Firefighters said they found flames burning on the back side of the house when they arrived. Fire then raced through the one-story house before it was extinguished, officials said.

Paramedics took the family to the hospital, where they were treated for smoke inhalation.

Jeff Butters, who lives nearby, said he didn't realize there was a fire until he smelled a strange odor.

"I was outside and I smelled plastic smoke," Butters said. "I grabbed my camera, came out here and saw flames 2 feet higher than the top of the trees -- it was up 15 or 20 feet in the air. It was an amazing sight. I've never seen anything like it in this neighborhood before."

The cause of the fire remains unknown. Investigators were still at the scene Thursday at 6 a.m.

A Wells Fargo account has been set up on behalf of the family. Donations can be made to the Freeman Family Fund at any Wells Fargo branch.