Two people and a dog in a crate escaped a house fire in Purcellville, Virginia, early Thursday, but two other dogs were trapped in the flames and died.
The Loudoun County Fire Department said a 911 call came in shortly after 5 a.m. reporting the house fire in the 35000 block of Milligans Run Lane in Purcellville.
The two occupants of the home, along with the dog in the crate, were able to make it out of the house before firefighters arrived. When crews arrived, they found a significant amount of fire coming from the front of the house, the department said, and a tanker had to be brought in, because that area of Purcellville does not have fire hydrants.
Eventually, firefighters were able to enter the house to carry out search and rescue operations for the two trapped dogs. Fire and rescue crews found the two dogs and administered oxygen and first aid, but the two dogs did not survive.
The two occupants had minor injuries.
The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Marshal’s Office have classified the fire as accidental and says it’s believed to have started in electrical components on the exterior of the home.
Damages are estimated at $800,500.
The fire department reminded residents to have a home escape plan that includes pets but that, during an emergency, people shouldn’t delay their exit trying to locate a pet. Instead, get out of the building and inform first responders if a pet is trapped inside, the fire department said.
