PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An intense fire swept through a home in Rankin Friday afternoon.

The blaze started after 1 p.m. in the 300-block of 5th Avenue.

The woman who lives in the home wasn’t there when the fire broke out, but her three cats and two dogs were. They’re presumed dead.

The flames took more than four hours to knock down. Seven fire companies were called out to the scene.

“It happened really quickly,” said Carl Lewis, a witness. “By the time I ran across the street, there were some flames. By the time we got the doors kicked in, it was almost completely engulfed by then.”

After checking to see if anyone was inside, Lewis called 911.

The Rankin fire chief says the combination of winds and the size and strength of the fire made it so difficult to put out.

The fire marshal is investigating the cause. Crews say it looks like the fire started at the rear of the home.

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