Two of seven small Pomeranian dogs living in an Mqabba residence died in a fire yesterday morning, leaving their owner heartbroken after fire fighters tried to rescue them from the blaze.

The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen and spread quickly to the yard and the back of the house, situated in Church Square, according to sources.

A 59-year-old woman – the owner of the house – tried to put out the fire with buckets of water before calling for help, the sources said.

The police were informed of the fire at about 10 a.m. and fire fighters, managed to contain it at the back of the house and prevent it from spreading.

They also worked hard to rescue the dogs, carrying them out of the house and placing them in a metal tub. However, two of the them perished as a result of the fire. A cat belonging to the owner was seriously injured and taken to the animal hospital in Ta’ Qali for treatment by Animal Welfare Officers who were on the scene. The Mqabba council thanked the fire fighters for their professionalism in their prompt action and expressed solidarity with the woman.