Roxboro Fire Department firefighters were dispatched at 4:15 p.m. Thursday to 161 Preston Pleasant Rd., the home of Alton and Helena Wilkerson.

No one was injured in the fire, but seven dogs and a hamster reportedly died in the blaze. Several other animals managed to escape the fire uninjured, according to Roxboro firefighter Troy Blalock.

Blalock said the Wilkerson family operates a grooming service in Roxboro and also had “quite a few animals at the home.”

The first firefighters arrived on the scene of the fire, just off of Thaxton Road, at 4:19 p.m., according to Blalock.

Firefighters suspect the  origin of the fire was of an electrical nature, according to Blalock.

“There appeared to have been some arcing in the fuse box,” Blalock said. “We could not rule out electrical as the cause.”

Blalock went on to say that foul play was not suspected in the fire.

Firefighters estimated damage to the structure at $65,000 to $75,000.

“There was pretty extensive damage in the living room and back porch of the home,” Blalock said. “There was also smoke and heat damage throughout the whole house.”

Roxboro firefighters received mutual aid from the Ceffo Volunteer Fire Department and the Triple Springs Volunteer Fire Department.