The St. John’s Regional Fire Department and the RNC responded to a house fire on Bannerman Street around 9:30 p.m. Saturday night.

When firefighters arrived on scene smoke was coming from the first floor of a row house. The residents were not home at the time, but the neighbours on both sides were already outside.

Platoon Chief Ken Dinn says firefighters made an interior attack and found most of the heavy fire contained to the first-floor kitchen area.

Dinn says firefighters had it under control quickly, but the house was significantly damaged.

The first floor of the home was extensively damaged by fire, smoke and water. The second floor sustained smoke and heat damage and there was smoke damage on the third floor.

Dinn says firefighters were unable to save a small pet on the first floor of the home.

Fire crews must be extra vigilant when it comes to putting out townhouse fires, says Dinn.

He says when you have attached housing the focus is also on other homes to make sure the fire does not spread. He says many houses in the downtown area share attic space which can cause fires to spread quickly.

The cause of Saturday’s fire remains under investigation.