A Lehigh Township firefighter was hospitalized due to dehydration while battling a house fire in Slatington on Sunday afternoon.

Fire Chief Keith Weaver did not release the firefighter's name, but said he was taken to Blue Mountain Health System-Palmerton and released later in the day.One of the home's owners was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest for smoke inhalation. He was treated and released.Weaver did not release the homeowners' names, but online records indicate they are Christine and James Lehman.The fire, at 1135 Maple Spring Drive, was reported at 2:02 p.m., Weaver said. It took firefighters from several companies about an hour to extinguish it.State Police Fire Marshal Cpl. William Brett of the Dublin, Bucks County, barracks, ruled the fire accidental.The homeowner told Brett he was using a smoker on the back deck to smoke chicken because they were remodeling the kitchen. Lehman thought he heard what sounded like a hot-air balloon powering up. When he went out to look, he saw the propane tank had separated from the smoker, Brett said."He tried everything he could to suppress it," Brett said.The homeowner used a garden hose and a blanket to try to smother the flames. But the home sustained major damage, Brett said.The flames were through the roof when firefighters arrived, Weaver said.Lehman had the smoker for about a year."Thankfully, there were no major injuries," Brett said.Organizations involved included Slatington, Diamond Fire Company in Walnutport, Freidens, Slatedale, Emerald, Palmerton, Germansville, Neffs, Lehigh Township, the Greenawalts Rapid Intervention Team, Woodlawn, the Catasauqua RIT, and Northern Valley and Macungie emergency medical services.The Lehighton and Schnecksville fire companies were on standby.