Dog, rabbit die in Lutz house fire
LUTZ — A family of five lost a dog and pet rabbit when their home caught fire Saturday afternoon, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.
The fire at 2009 Wallace Road also destroyed family keepsakes, clothing and important paperwork, said Abi Weaver of the American Red Cross Tampa Bay chapter, which is providing aid to the family.
Fire Rescue arrived at the home just after 2 p.m. The home was nearly engulfed in flames and firefighters tried to subdue the fire with water from tankers because there were no hydrants nearby.
No one was in the house at the time of the fire, but the couple who owns the house, and their sons, ages 22 and 7, and daughter age 10 arrived as firefighters were dealing with the blaze, Weaver said.
Among the items lost was the oldest son’s master’s thesis, which burned with the family computer.
The family will stay with relatives, but the Red cross provided them with emergency money for clothing, food and medicines, Weaver said.
"Fortunately this family owns their home and are insured," Weaver said. "So we are just helping in the immediate time until they can get that process going."
The cause is still under investigation, said Capt. Bruce Delk of Hillsborough County Fire rescue.
–Robbyn Mitchell, Times staff writer