2 family dogs rescued from house fire in Towamencin Twp., Montgomery County

TOWAMENCIN TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fast-moving fire that heavily damaged a home in Towamencin Twp., Montgomery County, leaving a family of four displaced.

It happened around 10 a.m. Wednesday in the 1900 block of Stratton Drive.

Cell phone video captured flames engulfing the rear of the house as firefighters responded to the scene.

Kevin Devine, who lives across the street, said he was sitting in his car in his driveway when the fire began.

"I heard a loud explosion. I looked over, the back of the house, flames are shooting 15 to 20 feet above the house," Devine said.

According to information provided to Action News, a family of four lives in the home. No one was inside at the time of the fire, though two family dogs remained in the house.

"I banged on the door. Nobody home, thank goodness. But there was two dogs in there. We alerted the authorities and they went in there and got the two dogs out," Devine said.

The dogs were later reunited with their owners.

Fire officials said the blaze escalated to a two-alarm fire but was brought under control within 30 minutes. No injuries were reported.

Investigators are now focused on determining how the fire started. The Towamencin fire marshal said there is little doubt the fire originated outside at the rear of the home.

Several neighbors reported hearing what they believed was an explosion.

However, investigators said a propane tank explosion has been ruled out, despite the presence of a gas grill behind the home.

"It doesn't look like the gas is involved. Doesn't look like there was an explosion. It looks like the origin of the fire is somewhere outback," Towamencin Fire Marshal Bill Oettinger said.

Oettinger also said the home's gas line and the propane tank outside remained fully intact.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.