Just before 6a.m. this morning, callers to 9-1-1 reported heavy flames and dark smoke coming from their neighbor’s two-story home located in the 22400 block of SW Meissinger Place. When firefighters from Sherwood Fire Station 33 arrived, the garage was fully involved and fire was coming out of some of the windows on the first floor. The couple who owned the home and a houseguest had safely evacuated. One man was evaluated at the scene for smoke inhalation, but was uninjured.

The incident commander called a second alarm to help protect adjacent houses that were located very close to the burning home. Within 50 minutes, firefighters controlled the fire, protected exposures and began mopping up. Unfortunately two of the couple’s dogs were found dead inside the home.

The home did not have a fire sprinkler system and will likely be a total loss. A fire investigator has confirmed the fire started in the garage, but the precise cause remains under investigation.