Volunteer firefighters from multiple departments battled a blaze that began late Thursday morning at 404 Bear Creek Road in Buffalo Township. No one was home when the fire began, but four dogs inside the residence died. The home was fully involved when firefighters arrived.

BUFFALO TWP — A fire destroyed a house and left four dogs dead around 11:45 a.m. Thursday at 404 Bear Creek Road.

Homeowner Nancy Hill and her son, Jeffrey Hill Jr., were not home at the time of the fire. The dogs were trapped inside the house during the blaze. There were no other injuries.

John Payne, the Hills' neighbor from across the street, noticed the fire and ran inside to tell his wife, Clovia. She looked out her doorway and saw the flames.

“We figured it started in the kitchen, and just got bigger and bigger,” she said.

Another neighbor called 911, and Clovia Payne alerted Nancy Hill.

The flames spread quickly; when firefighters arrived the home was fully involved.

“There was smoke coming out of all corners,” said Buffalo Township Lt. Kip Johnson.

Firefighters took about 30 minutes to extinguish most of the flames with water. A hose attached to a ladder was used to extinguish fire on the roof.

With the house destroyed, Johnson said the firefighters were in a “defensive” mode to keep it from spreading to neighboring homes.

“We do everything we can,” he said.

Volunteer fire departments from Buffalo Township, Sarver, Winfield Township, Saxonburg, Herman and Harrison Hills (Allegheny County) responded. Saxonburg EMS also was on scene.

The cause of the fire is unknown. The investigation has been turned over to a Butler State Police fire marshal.