Homeowner escapes fire; several puppies found dead

RAYTOWN, Mo. - An alert neighbor helped to save a Raytown homeowner Saturday from a house fire, but several puppies weren’t able to make it out alive.

Just before noon on Saturday, firefighters were called out to the 9000 block of E. 55th Street in Raytown after a neighbor spotted smoke coming from a home.

When firefighters arrived, they located heavy smoke and fire coming from the house. The homeowner was able to make it almost out of the house, but still needed assistance to walk down a stairway toward safety.

Two adult dogs were able to escape with fire without injury, but several puppies died in the fire, which caused more than $45,000 in damage to the house.

Investigators believe careless smoking in a bedroom may have sparked the blaze.