EAST HAMPTON -- Three dogs were killed after a large fire broke out at a home on South Main Street Thursday afternoon.
According to fire officials, the fire happened at 3:45 p.m.
Neighbors in the area said they saw the smoke trail down the road and that is when they called 911.
"It was a really bad scene," said Robert Carlson of East Hampton.
Carlson lives just two houses down on South Main Street. He said he was watching his son get off the school bus when heavy smoke was creeping down the road.
As soon as firefighters from multiple agencies arrived, flames burst from the roof and thick smoke clouded the entire home.
While no firefighters were injured, officials said they ran into manpower challenges.
"The Town of East Hampton only has a handful of hydrants and they’re only in the downtown center of town. We just rely on tankers. We have three tankers in town. These carry a little over 2,000 gallons of water," said East Hampton Assistant Fire Chief Peter Freund.
Residents like Carlson said it has been concerning to know the closest fire hydrant is miles away.
"You know, it’s not the first fire we’ve had on this road. There’s been about three fires before, so it’s kind of disheartening to know we’re not as safe as we should be," added Carlson.
Assistant Fire Chief Peter Freund said he is unsure if two people were inside when the fire happened, but they were not able to save the dogs.
It took firefighters close to three hours to contain the fire before the last hot spots were put out.
The Connecticut State Fire Marshal were on scene considering the volume of the fire and the type of house it was.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
