FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Witnesses to a house fire in Fort Collins say they had to convince a man with a mental illness to leave the home.

Lonny Nickless told 7NEWS he was passing by a home on the 2200 block of West Stuart in Fort Collins when he saw smoke rising from the home. He and a neighbor had to convince a man in the garage to get out quickly.

"When we got him around the corner the flames were coming out the back door, so just in a matter of a few seconds that we actually got him to come out. Because he didn't want to come out, he wanted to get it taken care of himself," Nickeless said.

Nickless said the man has Alzheimer's and his care provider was there but had been unsuccessful in getting him out of the garage.

The Coloradoan reports the resident and another person were treated at the scene Friday for smoke inhalation.

The Poudre Fire Authority says the fire appears to have started accidentally in the garage. No other information was available.

Firefighters kept the flames from spreading to the living area of the home.