Courier reader Tully Smith sent this photo of this morning's fire via our iPhone app.
A 20-year-old man is in The Alfred hospital following a blaze that destroyed this house in Ballarat's north this morning. PICTURE: ADAM TRAFFORD
The Doveton Crescent home goes up in flames this morning. PICTURE: CONTRIBUTED
A 20-year-old man was taken to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition after sustaining severe burns in a fire that gutted a Doveton Crescent house early this morning.
Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said the man received full thickness burns to nine per cent of his body, including his hands and face.
Ballarat Criminal Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Paul Jolly said the fire broke out at about 1am and burnt the single story weatherboard to the ground.
He said the man made his own way out of the house and was assisted by neighbours and people in the street.
Police are treating it as non-suspicious at this point.
A CFA spokesperson said the house was fully alight when crews from Ballarat and Ballarat City arrived at the scene.
"The house was fully involved when they arrived and they did a bit of work to make sure the house next door was not damaged," he said.
"It's under investigation by police at the moment."
Mr Mullen said the man was taken to Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital before being transported to The Alfred.