New Philadelphia, Ohio (WJER) - Firefighters are working to figure out what caused a trailer in the Shel Mar estates to catch on fire Thursday afternoon.

Captain Matt Tharp says they responded to a trailer in the 100 block of Sea Gull Drive at around 1:30 pm after a neighbor called to report smoke in the building. He says when they arrived on scene they discovered a fully-involved structure fire coming from inside and underneath the home. 

Tharp says the location of the home allowed them quick access to all sides of the structure which helped reduce their knockdown time. 

“It’s the first road right into Shel Mar, so there was no problem getting to it, and we had full access to three sides of the building due to where it sat on the road,” he says.

Tharp says crews from Dover and Uhrichsville fire departments were able to extricate two dogs from the home but their attempts to resuscitate them but were unsuccessful.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and a damage estimate is not currently available. Tharp says the occupant will have to find alternate living arrangements while repairs are made to the home. 

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