Fire officials said a house fire in northwest Charlotte early Tuesday morning was caused by improperly discarded smoking material. The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. on South Hoskins Road near Glenwood Drive. Channel 9 was there as crews focused their attention on the back porch, where the flames did most of the damage. Plumes of smoke could also be seen rising from the roof as firefighters put out the remaining hotspots. According to the Charlotte Fire Department, no one was inside the home when the blaze started. Investigators said the fire caused about $25,000 worth of damage.