CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A house fire in Cape Coral early Sunday morning claimed the lives of six dogs and left an elderly woman hospitalized.
WATCH AS FOX 4'S ANVAR RUZIEV SPOKE WITH THE MAN WHO ATTEMPTED TO SAVE THEM:
The fire broke out inside a home on Southeast 19th Lane, with firefighters arriving around 11 a.m.
When first responders reached the scene, they found an elderly woman suffering from a heart attack. Firefighters revived her before she was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment. Inside the home, she had nine dogs—six of which did not survive. Firefighters were able to save three dogs by administering oxygen.
Investigators say the fire started due to unattended cooking, spreading quickly throughout the house. Neighbor Angel Huertas tried to help by opening windows but said he did not hear any noise coming from inside.
"I did not hear one dog barking, one dog crying, one dog doing anything of the sort," Huertas said.He also noted that he did not hear any smoke alarms going off. Firefighters later confirmed that there were no working smoke alarms in the home. The State Fire Marshal's Office ruled the fire an accident.
The Cape Coral Fire Department would like to remind homeowners to check their smoke alarms regularly to prevent similar tragedies. An update on the woman’s condition has not yet been released.
