Fire that killed puppies remains under investigation

Investigators are working to determine what caused a house fire Saturday in the Hough neighborhood that resulted in the death of seven puppies.

The fire originated on a mattress in the basement of the house, 900 W. 16th St., Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said.

Crews from the Vancouver Fire Department, with help from Clark County Fire District 6, extinguished the blaze in about 30 minutes, fire officials said.

Ten people living in the house escaped without injury, and multiple animals were rescued from the residence, Scarpelli said. They were all displaced.

The seven puppies, however, were in the basement and could not be rescued because storage material obstructed access, Scarpelli said.

The preliminary damage estimate from the fire is $80,000, Scarpelli said.