A bathroom ceiling fixture ignited a fire in one home and sent smoke throughout three adjoining units Wednesday afternoon in a Lower Macungie residential neighborhood, according to the township fire chief.

In all, four families were displaced by the associated damage, said Mike Siegel, a township zoning official.

Fire Chief David Nosal arrived about 5 p.m. to see smoke coming from four of the seven connected homes in the Ancient Oaks West development.

"From the first appearance, my thought was we have a big fire here," he said.

He called for assistance from several departments.

Lower Macungie Fire Department, the initial responding crew, set to work on 1915 Aster Road, which he said was the source of the fire. Efforts included use of their aerial truck to reach the roof of the two-story unit.

Firefighters also quickly checked adjacent units, including cutting a hole in the roof of 1911 Aster, to see whether those were involved in flame, Nosal said. As it turned out, those units were limited to just smoke damage from 1915.

Nosal credited cinder block firewalls from bottom to ceiling in each attic with preventing the spread of fire.

No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported.

Fire, smoke and water damage was severe to the second floor of 1915, Nosal said. The attic of that home was moderately damaged, and damage to the first floor was moderate but limited to smoke and water.

Lower Macungie firefighters were assisted by those from Macungie, Alburtis, Trexlertown, the county cascade unit run by Woodlawn Fire Department, and ambulance and rehab services provided by Macungie Ambulance Corps.