WSET.com - ABC13Blaze Kills Two Dogs in Appomattox

Reporter: Rachel Schaerr l Videographer: Dan Heffner

Appomattox, VA - Investigators are calling the cause of a fire that destroyed an Appomattox home and killed two dogs "suspicious."

The state police's Arson and Bomb team are leading this investigation. Special Agent Keith Childress isn't calling it arson, but says burn patterns at the home appear suspicious. He's waiting to see if evidence sent to the crime lab tests positive for accelerants. He also says there are no signs of forced entry.

The homeowner denies having anything to do with the fire but says she doesn't know who could be responsible. So it may be months before there are answers.

Flames two stories high towered over firefighters fighting the flames at 435 Oakleigh Avenue. The call came in around 7:35 a.m. Sunday. After arriving within six minutes, official say it took 22 volunteer firefighters, two fire engines and a ladder truck to put the blaze out.

One day later, Libby Moore still can't believe how quickly it spread from her porch to the entire home.

"I'd say 15, 20 minutes later the whole thing was inflamed," Moore recalled. "Then, it just collapsed."

Her friend Ronnie Nash says firefighters estimate it took 10 minutes for the house to become fully engulfed in flames.

But it was too late for Moore's two dogs -- a pug and hound that were trapped inside. They've been placed into a plastic bag on the back porch.

"The ground's too hard to bury them," Moore said pointing to the clear bag. "My whole family's memories, everybody's dead. I have nothing left of them," she says fighting back tears.

Moore says she recently filed for bankruptcy and is relying on the generosity of the American Red Cross and local churches that are giving her a place to stay and some clothes.