A dog and five cats died Thursday in a house fire at 910 19th Ave. S.W. in Albany.

Deputy Fire Marshal Shannon Snippen said one cat hid in a cabinet and survived the blaze. The other animals died of smoke inhalation.

No injuries were reported among the 19-member fire crew that responded.

The fire was reported by homeowner Buena Casa after she returned home from work about 5:05 p.m.

Casa told firefighters everything appeared to be fine when she walked up her front steps but when she opened the front door she found her house was filled with smoke.

Casa immediately called 911.

The fire started at the electric stove, Snippen said. Casa told firefighters she thinks one of her cats somehow turned on one of the burners.

The fire already was out when Casa got home, Snippen said. "It seemed to have snuffed itself out from a lack of oxygen."

She could not estimate how long the fire had been burning but suspects it could have been for hours.

Snippen said there was about $35,000 damage to the contents of the home, and the entire interior of the house will have to be gutted and rebuilt before it can be lived in.

The Red Cross is assisting Casa, and money donated from the Albany Firefighters Community Fund will be used to buy clothing and food.

Casa has home insurance, Snippen said.

Cathy Ingalls