Nobody hurt in Whitehorse house fire, 1 cat receiving medical care

A house fire in Whitehorse's McIntyre subdivision has destroyed one home and damaged another. 

The fire on Hanna Crescent was reported around 1 p.m. Tuesday by neighbours who were on their back porch having a barbecue. They said they ran over to the house with fire extinguishers, but were unable to tame the flames. 

One bystander said someone told him there were animals still trapped inside. He tried to enter the home to save them, but it was too hot. 

When fire crews arrived, the home was already fully engulfed in flames. 

"Fire was coming out the sides," said fire chief Travis Whiting. He said the cause of the fire is not yet known. 

All occupants were able to escape the home without injury, but some of their pets weren't so lucky.

Six cats lived at the property. Whiting said medical services were being provided to one of the animals. He said it's possible other pets were killed, but was not able to confirm.

Whiting said there was damage to one of the neighbouring homes that removed a significant chunk of the siding. 

Fire crews also monitored the wooded area behind the home. Whiting said wildfire risk in and around the city is currently low, but "as the summer starts to dry things out, it becomes a higher level of concern."