ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Several crews from Cherry Valley, New Milford, Rockford, Loves Park, and Boone County were called to a house fire on Ironwood Avenue in Rockford before 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

The fire appears to have started in the garage. The garage is completely destroyed. Two cars also caught on fire.

Fire officials tell us that the fire started in the back of the garage and made its way into the attic. No one was hurt. However, crews say by the time they were able to get to the two pets, they were killed.

One neighbor tells us that he heard an explosion but crews say this was the tires on the car popping.

“I heard an explosion and I ran upstairs and I looked outside and the whole house, the whole back of the house and the garage was completely engulfed, like instantly. When I ran outside, the wife was already outside and the husband was trying to get the car out of the driveway and he got his truck out of the driveway but didn’t get the second car,” said Ryan Ward.

Investigators are looking into how the fire started.

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