Unattended burn pile sets Crystal River home ablaze with caged animals inside

CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (WFLA) — Several animals were rescued from a house fire in Crystal River on Monday.

Citrus County Fire Rescue was called to W. Arter Street just before 11 a.m. for a reported structure fire.

Firefighters arrived to find a double-wide manufactured home on fire, along with a brush fire burning behind the residence. The tenant later told fire officials he left the property while a pile of debris was burning nearby.

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Crews had to remove several caged animals – including cats, rabbits and ferrets – from the front porch to get into the home, according to a release from Citrus County Fire Rescue. Two dogs and a ferret were rescued from inside and two other dogs managed to escape to neighboring properties.

Firefighters performed CPR on two Great Danes as Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control officers arrived to take the animals to Countryside Animal Clinic. The four dogs are being monitored by veterinarians, according to the sheriff’s office, but are in stable condition.

The other animals were checked out and were not hurt in the fire. The blaze was under control at 11:13 a.m. and the scene was cleared two hours later.

Citrus County Fire Rescue reminds residents to never leave a fire unattended and to make sure it is fully extinguished before leaving the area. Burning debris is one of the leading causes of wildfires in Florida.

Residents are urged to keep a water hose or shovel handy in case their fire gets out of hand. If the fire escapes, the person responsible for it could be liable for costs of suppression and property damage.

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