Brooksville, Fla. (970 WFLA) - An unattended cigarette caused a fire early Sunday that left a man homeless and killed his dog. Hernando County Fire Rescue arrived at the home on Roper Road at about 12:45 a.m. to see smoke coming out of the it.
It found no people inside, but a dog had died from smoke inhalation. Firefighters say that they contained the fire to a bedroom, but the rest of the house sustained heavy heat and smoke damage, and is not habitable.
They say after talking to a man who lives at the home, it appears that "an unattended cigarette by or near a bed is the cause of the fire," according to a news release.