4 dogs killed, residents displaced in Riverside house fire

Four people were displaced in a house fire that killed four dogs Wednesday in west suburban Riverside.

A neighbor called 911 at 12:22 a.m. to report the blaze at the home in the 200 block of Quincy Street in Riverside, according to Riverside Fire Chief Matthew Buckley.

A man, a woman and two children were outside when crews arrived, but told firefighters four dogs were still in the home, Buckley said. Firefighters put out the fire and found the dogs in a second-floor bedroom.

Crews used pet oxygen masks to administer first aid as the dogs were transported to a veterinary clinic in Downers Grove, according to Buckley. The dogs later died at the clinic.

“We tried, but the smoke and heat were just too much,” Buckley said.

The house was rendered uninhabitable the residents are staying with relatives, Buckley said. No other injuries were reported.

The fire appears to have originated on the rear porch, but the cause remains under investigation, according to Buckley.