Multiple animals died in a fire Friday night, when a northwest side home that served as a wildlife sanctuary was damaged in a fire, officials said.
Northwest Fire District went to the home on West Hill of Gold Drive, near North Silverbell Road and West El Camino del Cerro, shortly before 8:30 p.m. for reports of smoke inside the home, said department spokesman, Capt. Brian Keeley.
The first unit that arrived saw smoke and flames coming from the house and the resident waiting outside. Using multiple hoselines, crews extinguished blazes in an outside structure, the home's attic space and a large room inside, Keeley said.
It took 22 firefighters 22 minutes to extinguish the fire and another 45 minutes to search through the home for hot spots. With no hydrants in the area, firefighters had to use a water tender to battle the fire.
The homeowner ran a wildlife sanctuary and refuge from the house, with dozens of animals, including rabbits, owls, falcons and falcons, and her own pets, which included two parrots and three cats. Many of the animals were inside the home or near the outside when the fire started, Keeley said.
Many of the animals were in areas that caught fire and died. Firefighters were able to save many more and volunteers from a rescue group transported the animals to another location, Keeley said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and there is not yet a damage estimate for the home. It's also unclear how many animals died in the fire.
