Goshen family loses two cats and golden retriever in house fire

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By Jaclyn Kelley - jkelley@abc57.com

Story Created: Feb 17, 2012 at 1:33 AM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 20, 2012 at 4:49 PM EDT

 GOSHEN, Ind. -- A fire completely destroyed a Goshen home and put a family out on the street. It happened just off Missouri Avenue early Thursday afternoon while the family was gone.

Not only did the family lose all of their things, but they also lost their two cats and their golden retriever, Max, who died from smoke inhalation.
 
At first glance the house does not appear to have much damage, but with a closer look it is easy to see just how severe this fire was. "There was heavy, black smoke. It had been burning for at least 15 or 20 minutes before we got the call," says John Perry with the Concord Township Fire Department.
 
Firefighters were called to the house after the family came home to find heat and heavy smoke pouring out their front door when they attempted to walk in. "There is a lot of fire damage, a lot of water damage and the smoke was really heavy and black, so the area with no fire and water damage had really heavy smoke damage," say Perry.
 
Firefighter’s say the blaze started in the basement, near the dryer in the home's laundry room. The flames grew until they finally reached the attic and started to eat through the roof, slowing destroying the entire interior of the house along the way.
 
"Every time we get called to a fire it’s the result of somebody’s lose, but we do the best we can and do the best we can to help the family afterwards.
 
Although firefighters are still investigating the cause, they say the dryer might be what sparked the fire.
In the meantime, the family is staying with relatives and has already been give donations from neighbors and has received help from the American Red Cross.
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