SANTEE, Calif. -- Investigators are trying to figure out what sparked a fire at a home in Santee overnight that displaced four adults.

The fire was reported just before 4 a.m. in the 10000 block of Santana Street. The four adults who live in the house escaped.

"I woke up coughing and my room was filled with smoke and I heard popping from the other room and when I opened my eyes I could see the glow of flames from behind the smoke and I realized what was going on and I got up and ran," said Glen Green who has lived in the house for about a year.

Green and another resident were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Green said the house is a sober-living home where three men rent rooms. He described the woman who owns the house as a "hoarder."

Neighbors said Code Enforcement has been called to the house in the past.

The fire started in a front storage area that used to be a garage. Firefighters said the conditions inside made knocking it down even more difficult.

"I understand that the loading is quite heavy. There's a lot of things in the area where the fire was, both on the ground and in the rafters, which is making access to the remaining fire difficult," said Santee Fire Division Chief Dave Miller.

It is unclear if the house had smoke detectors.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Red Cross was on scene assisting residents.

Early estimates put damage at roughly $100,000.