A fire Monday at a residence on Comer Street in Gainesville displaced two adults and two children, according to the Gainesville Fire Department.

The fire, caused by an electrical short in a ceiling fan, was discovered around 7 a.m. Monday by family members who were already awake preparing for the day, according to Gainesville Fire Chief Jon Canada.

The blaze caused about $5,000 worth of damage, but was contained to the attic and the ceiling of the home’s kitchen, Canada said.

Still, the fire department called the American Red Cross to assist the family, which will not be able to stay in the home, Canada said.

Because the residents were awake, they were able to get out of the home without being injured, Canada said.

“We discovered this house had no smoke detectors so the residents were very fortunate that they were up and they discovered there was smoke in the house and they evacuated,” Canada said. “Had the fire been earlier in the morning, and they had been asleep, the results could have been different.”

The incident spurred Canada to encourage area residents to purchase smoke detectors and ensure existing ones work properly. He said residents can call the city fire department at 770-534-3612 for information about smoke detectors and help installing or checking the devices.