House Fire Near Bellmore Border Claims Pet Cat

A house fire that broke out Tuesday morning in Wantagh has claimed the life of a pet cat.

The fire erupted in the basement of a home on Emerson Place at the corner of Burns Avenue near the Bellmore border.

Wantagh Fire Chief William Allen said the homeowner tried to save the pet cat but was unable to.

The fire caused a total loss to the basement and significant smoke damage to the rest of the home, Allen said. 

The Wantagh Fire Department with assistance from firefighters in Bellmore and Seaford extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes, Allen said.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated but it is not believed to be suspicious, according to Allen.