While three Saanich residents were able to escape a house fire early this morning, two cats and a bird did not.
The Saanich Fire Department responded to the fire at a home in the 3200-block of Wetherby Road around 4:30 a.m. today.
Firefighters arrived to find flames and heavy black smoke billowing from the front door and from windows at the back of the building.
Three people in the home were able to get out unharmed though one was sent to hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Their pets, two cats a bird, died in the fire.
The smoke and fire damage to the building was extensive, especially to the second floor. The fire department estimates the damage to be around $150,000 to the building and the property inside.
Investigators are still at the scene of the fire and have not yet determined the cause or what prevention methods were in place.
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