GEORGETOWN, S.C. —  Three family pets were killed when fire ripped through a Kensington home Thursday morning.

The fire at the Middleton Street home of Joe and  Sandy Ammon was reported by neighbor Tom Rea at about 11:20 a.m.

Rea said he tried to save a kitten and two birds inside the home , but the heat of the fire made his attempts unsuccessful.

No one was home when the fire started.

Ammon said it is believed it started in the laundry room.

The fire took about an hour to bring under control.

About two weeks ago firefighters  were called  to the same house because of the possibility of an electrical fire, but flames were never seen in that instance.

Ammon said his family will stay with relatives while they decide how to bounce back from the blaze that destroyed their home.

That was the second fire in two days to destroy a home.

At about 1 a.m. Wednesday, Georgetown City firefighters responded to a blaze at a vacated home at 1615 Legion Street.

Georgetown Assistant Fire Chief Bill Johnson said when crews arrived they found the front of the house fully engulfed with fire. “A rapid attack brought the fire under control in about 20 minutes,” Johnson said.  “There were no injuries and the house appears to have been vacant for some time.”

Johnson said the fire is considered “suspicious.” He said building officials in the city had the house on a list to be demolished but that plan was voted down by city council.

UPDATE: At Thursday night's city council meeting, City Administrator Chris Eldridge said the Legion Street fire was an arson and a suspect has been identified.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com