7 dogs die in northwest Calgary house fire

A fire claimed the lives of seven dogs in a Ranchlands home in northwest Calgary late Monday night, while a second residential blaze in Mount Pleasant sent one man to hospital.

Crews were called at about 11:20 p.m. to the 1000 block of Ranchlands Boulevard N.W., a fire official said.

The woman who had called for help told firefighters that she had been out, and when she returned home she noticed smoke.

Acting Batt. Chief Innes Fraser says crews discovered there had been a substantial fire, but that it had burned itself out.

"Unfortunately also while investigating they found several pets within the home," he said.

"A total of nine dogs, seven of whom had succumbed to the fire, and the fumes associated, and two who were still alive and transported to an emergency veterinarian clinic."

Fraser says typically a fire of this size would have broken a window, allowing more oxygen to fuel the fire and spread.

It appears the fire started in the kitchen, but it's still under investigation.

2nd fire

Calgary fire crews also responded to a residential firein the northwest community of Mount Pleasant early Tuesday morning.

Crews were called to the 600 block of 28th Avenue just after 1 a.m. and found a home engulfed in flames.

One man was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. He was the only person inside and was able to get out of the burning house.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.