The house in Lochend St, Musselburgh, was unoccupied and, during renovations, the home owner had been working with a heat gun to remove paint from a wall.
Senior Station Officer Pete Douglas, of the St Kilda fire station, said the home owner noticed the fire while working up the ladder, near the top of the wall, and immediately rang Fire and Emergency New Zealand, at 10.45am.
''They've done everything right,'' Mr Douglas said of the home owner's quick action.
The quick notification had helped to ''minimise damage'', and limit it to about a 5sqm area in the ceiling space. The heat entered the wall and set fire to building papers, affecting the ceiling cavity.
Firefighters also found the remnants of a bird's nest near where the fire began, which may have helped ignition.
Mr Douglas praised the actions of the firefighters, who showed the value of their regular training.
''It had the potential to become a big devastating fire but the quick actions of the crews minimised the effects.''
Fire appliances from St Kilda and Lookout Point attended, and firefighters removed roofing iron to extinguish the fire and hunt out any remaining hot spots.
The young woman property owner was pleased the fire had been extinguished quickly and damage had been limited, but did not wish to comment further.
She asked not to be identified.
A family member said ''it's been a good outcome because they [fires] go so quick''.
