Panama City- Firefighters had no choice but to stand back and watch a Bayou George home burn to the ground on Friday afternoon.

The house was full of ammunition, black powder, and fireworks according to emergency responders.

The fire started a bit before noon on Bertha Nelson Road.
By the time firefighters arrived, they were greeted by the sounds of explosions.
They focused their attention on the surrounding homes, preventing the flames from spreading to them.
When the ammunition stopped exploding, they were able to get closer and fight the fire.
By then, the house had been destroyed.
Fortunately, no one was home at the time.
Nearby neighbors were asked to move down the street until the fire was contained.

"I came around the side of the house and saw that Greg's house is on fire. At first it was just one ammunition explosion and then it got faster and faster," said visiting neighbor Christian Whitt.

The state Fire Marshall’s Office is investigating.
Authorities still do not know what started the fire.