Local

Dog killed in Mandarin house fire

A dog was killed in a house fire in Mandarin Friday afternoon.

State investigators are still trying to determine how the fire on Chicora Lane broke out, but they say the cause is accidental.

The homeowner, Debbie Luke, tells Action News Jax she believes the cause was electrical. The fire destroyed her home of 35 years.

“It’s a horrible thing to have to live through,” she said.

Luke says she had left her home 15 minutes earlier when her neighbors started frantically calling her.

She returned home to find nearly 10 fire trucks at her home. Her 11-year-old Shih Tzu, Kelso, did not make it.

“He wouldn’t harm anybody,” said Luke. “He was just always wanting to play. Best friend.”

The Red Cross is assisting Luke. She tells Action News Jax she plans to stay with her sister. A friend of Luke has created a GoFundMe account to help her out.