The fire that decimated a home near La Broquerie on Tuesday was caused by puppies.

“There was a cardboard doghouse in the garage for the puppies and it had a heat lamp,” explains La Broquerie Fire Chief Al Nadeau, “I guess the puppies got big enough that they started playing with the lamp and knocked it over.”

Nadeau notes that the puppies were bedded on shavings and straw which would have lit on fire almost immediately.

Though no members of the family were home at the time of the fire, Nadeau says all five puppies perished in the blaze.

Nearby neighbors watched as the house burned.

Nadeau indicates that when his crews arrived at the residence, located three miles west and one mile south of La Broquerie, the fire was already well underway.

“It started in the garage and was probably in there for quite a few hours before anybody noticed it," comments Nadeau. "By that time there was a lot of heat built up and from there it spread very quickly.” He adds that the strong winds pushed the fire from the garage directly into the house. Nadeau suggests that If the wind had been blowing the opposite direction, the results may have been different. 

Crews remained at the scene from 4 PM to 12:30 AM the next morning, ensuring that everything was fully under control.

Nadeau expects the total damage estimate to be around three-quarters of a million dollars and says, thankfully, the house was covered by insurance.

The homeowners plan on rebuilding in the same spot, meanwhile, the six-person family that the house belonged to will be staying with family until further arrangements can be made.

Read more: House Engulfed In Flames Near La Broquerie