East Lyme - A lawn tractor parked behind a house at 19 Grouse Circle caught fire late Monday afternoon with flames spreading to the house, Flanders Fire Department Chief James Levandoski said.

Firefighters were called to the fire at about 5:50 p.m. and found heavy smoke and flames showing on the outside of the house, he said. Firefighters had the fire out by about 6:20 p.m., and no injuries were reported.

Neighbors gathered around the scene described seeing a large plume of black smoke as firefighters arrived.

The homeowner was at home at the time, Levandoski said.

The fire marshal was at the scene Monday evening investigating the cause of the blaze.

Levandoski said fires that spread from cars, tractors or other vehicles happen more often than people might think.

"It's definitely not unheard of. We get probably two or three of them a year," he said. "Usually, it's a car someone is working on." The fire typically starts in the garage and spreads to the house, he said.

Fire departments from Niantic, Old Saybrook and Oswegatchie also responded.

d.straszheim@theday.com