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Multiple pets killed after house fire in Stafford Co.

Five people were able to make it out but several pets did not following a fire in Stafford County, Virginia.

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It happened Sunday just before 5:30 a.m. Stafford County Fire and Rescue units arrived in the 200 block of Choptank Road to a fire coming from the side of a two-story house.

The fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes, a fire department update said.

house after fire
A two-story house catches fire in Stafford County, Virginia, on May 24, 2026. (Courtesy Stafford County Fire and Rescue)

The people inside the home were able to get out before firefighters arrived, and no one was hurt.

However, “multiple pets did not make it out,” the fire department said.

There were working smoke alarms in the home, and the five people in the house will get help from the American Red Cross.

The Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating what caused the fire.

Below is a map of the area where the house fire took place:

map of area
A fire breaks out on the 200 block of Choptank Road in Stafford County, Virginia. (Courtesy Google Maps)

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