Firefighters from The Villages were the first to arrive at a blaze at a mobile home in Summerfield that claimed the lives of three pets.
Marion County Fire Rescue units were dispatched at 1:41 p.m. Friday to the fire in the area of SE 146th Street Road and SE 147th Street in Summerfield, not far from Village View Community Church.
Engine #10 from the MCFR station at Mulberry Grove in The Villages arrived first and found a fully involved single-wide mobile home. Additional units arrived on the scene and removed two dogs and six cats from the structure. Firefighters worked hard to resuscitate the animals. Unfortunately, one dog and two cats perished as a result of the fire. The firemen were able to save the remaining dog and four cats.
The fire was brought under control by 2 p.m. No one was home at the time of the fire.
The Red Cross was called in to assist the residents. The cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation.