Firefighters couldn't save the dog and cat that died in a Tuesday afternoon fire in Clearwater.
But after putting out the flames, they did the best they could do to comfort an ailing family: They helped to dig the graves.
"When we had arrived, the dog and cat had expired," said Clearwater Fire Department Deputy Chief Terry Welker. "No one was home at the time. They (the pets) didn't get out of the house."
The fire caused nearly $40,000 in damage to the house at 1830 Beverly Circle. Firefighters would not identify the home's residents, but county property records identified its owner as Jennifer A. Neal. Firefighters do not know what caused the blaze, but they won't rule out ignition via a power surge caused by a recent lightning strike, Welker said.
Still, Welker cautioned, the exact cause won't be known until more investigation.
"We don't know if it's storm-related or not," Welker said. "We need to be absolutely crystal clear."
No one was harmed in the fire, Welker said, because the only person who would have been in the house at that time was a young man who went to the mall after the power went out.
A sister who lived next door called the young man to come home after she noticed the flames. Eventually, several members of the family returned. A Fire Department chaplain was called to comfort the family.
Assisting in the burial of the animals was a good thing to do, Welker said.
