Illegal fireworks are believed to be the cause of a fire that destroyed a family's home in Antioch, according to fire officials, and ultimately led to the death of a neighbor's dog.
Fire crews responded to the blaze Tuesday night at a home on the corner of West Eighth and D streets in Antioch. The resident said he heard all sorts of illegal fireworks going off before the fire, and he believes one landed on his 100-year-old detached garage, causing it to ignite.
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WATCH HEREThe flames then spread to the main house and the adjacent home.
Resdient Paul Thatcher and his wife were asleep at the time, and he credits his two dogs for alerting them about the fire and saving their lives.
"I saw orange through the doggy door and heard crackling, so it had already spread toward the back of the house," Thatcher said. "So I cracked the door and saw the flames -- man, it was hot. ... I ran to the bedroom and woke my wife and said the house is on fire, go out the front."
The couple, their dogs and their neighbors managed to escape uninjured, but the neighbors' dog was hit and killed by a passing vehicle when fleeing from the flames, the family said.
Thatcher's music room and his wife’s office were destroyed as were two of his cars, including an original classic 1950 Chevy Fleet Line.
Local
The fire department says it is investigating the cause of the fire but agreed that illegal fireworks could be the cause.
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