BUFFALO TWP — The residents at 609 Parker Road safely escaped a Friday afternoon fire in their home, but their dog died.

The fire started at 3:40 p.m. in a rear, first-floor bedroom and caused extensive fire and smoke damage throughout the house, said Mike George, chief of the Sarver Volunteer Fire Department.

“We had a fire on the first floor in the rear. The fire spread to the second floor a little bit. There was a lot of damage inside,” George said. He said the homeowners evacuated the house, but their dog perished in the fire. Temperatures were in the mid-teens Friday afternoon and there was snow on the ground, but, George said, conditions didn't hamper the water supply from a nearby hydrant that firefighters used to extinguish the flames, Buffalo Township police were first to arrive at the scene and reported smoke coming from first-floor windows, George said.

Most of the damage occurred on the first floor, he said. About 30 firefighters from four departments responded. The Buffalo Township, Freeport and Harrison Hills, Allegheny County, volunteer fire departments also responded. State police fire marshal is investigating.