A fire reported just before midnight on Tuesday consumed the two-story Fairhope residence of Wayne and Ann Laudermilch in less than an hour, a next-door neighbor said Wednesday morning.

Two Fairhope police officers, Sgt. Curtis Sullivan and Officer James Nelson, arrived first on the scene and rescued the Laudermilchs and a caregiver from inside the house that was already engulfed in flames, according to a Fairhope Police Department news release.

All five people were transported to Thomas Hospital for smoke inhalation, but none were seriously injured, according to the release. The fire did not spread to neighboring houses, a firefighter on the scene said.

“Those two police officers saved their lives,” said Mayor Tim Kant, who was at the scene Wednesday morning. “The firefighters did a great job. They stopped it right there (from spreading).”

See Saturday’s newspaper for additional coverage.