GREENSBURG - Fire officials suspect electrical issues could have started a massive fire at the home of Emmitt Perry, the father of writer/director Tyler Perry.

Several St. Helena Parish Fire Districts arrived to Perry's home on Highway 1042 near John Matthews Lane in Greensburg, LA around 8 p.m. Monday night.

"I heard something popping in the attic," Perry said in an interview. "I went upstairs and let the [attic] stairs down. I couldn't smell any smoke. I didn't see anything burning."

Perry said he then walked outside and noticed smoke billowing from near his chimney.

"I then went to call the fire department, and my daughter was coming in the gate. And she said, 'I already called them.'"

Witnesses say the fire could be seen from several miles away as more than 50 firefighters unloaded thousands of gallons of water onto the home.

Fire crews planned to let the fire burn out since the closest fire hydrant was five miles away.

Volunteer firefighters loaded water into any and all available trucks to bring water to Perry's home, but it is considered a total loss.

Perry explained he's lucky no one was asleep at the time he noticed the fire.

"I made it out alive," Perry said. "If it wouldn't have happened then, me and my daughter would've probably been in there, and we would have burned up."