LONGVIEW, Texas — Eight people were displaced following a Wednesday afternoon house fire in Longview.
The Longview Fire Department responded to reports of a blaze on Oakdale Ave. and were able to contain the flames in about 15 minutes, according to Battalion Chief Jon Johnson.
"The fire was quickly progressing from the back of the house to the front of the house," Johnson said. "They were able to make entry and stop the fire and contain it to three rooms in the rear of the building."
The LFD reports the flames started in a bedroom at the back of the home. When crews arrived, a mom, dad and their six school-aged children were waiting outside. They were unharmed but a few of their pets didn’t make it out.
“We had a couple of pet birds, a dog and also a pet lizard that the family had,” Johnson said.
What started this fire is still being investigated , but Johnson encourages others to be mindful of the most common causes.
“If we can just protect any kind of unattended cooking that'll help with prevention," Johnson said. "Or any kind of improper heating for the house, especially this time of the year."
The LFD says they've responded to 14 fires, so far, in 2022.