The fire was reported at 1:04 p.m. on Tundra Rose Avenue, with a fire engine arriving five minutes later, said Bruce Bartley, chief for the Chugiak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company.
Firefighters found a "menagerie" of pets at the home, he said. "We saved three dogs and one bird, but numerous dogs, cats, chinchillas -- an assortment of other small furry rodents ... they did not make it."
The four occupants of the home were treated and released for smoke inhalation, Bartley said, and were working with the Red Cross to find a place to stay Sunday.
The fire caused at least $300,000 in damage to the three-story, single family home, the fire chief estimated. It appeared to begin on the first floor, he said.
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