Four Virginia firefighters were injured battling a house fire that killed several pet birds.
The blaze broke out just before midnight Tuesday at a rural home in Chesterfield, WTVR-TV reports. The couple was still inside the home when the house caught fire, and they were able to escape with one of their two dogs.
Two Chesterfield County firefighters suffered heat exhaustion and dehydration. Two others were hurt in falls as crews battled the house, and three of the four injured firefighters were taken to the hospital.
"One of them had some extremity injuries due to falling in the floor. Another firefighter had a fall and had a laceration to his head," Fire Chief Sal Luciano told WTVR.
One of the residents was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Seven pet birds—two cockatiels and five parakeets—did not survive the blaze, and an 11-week-old boxer puppy was still missing.
It took crews until 12:50 a.m. to get the blaze under control, and firefighters continued to work the scene for hours looking for hot spots. Although the cause hasn't been determined, the fire is believed to be accidental, according to WTVR.
