A family of six lost their home and three pets when their house caught on fire Tuesday morning in northwest Atlanta.

Firefighters responded to the blaze at a one-story home on Rosemary Street about 11:45 a.m., Atlanta fire spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford said.

Two adults and four children live there, but none of them were home when the fire began, authorities said. The blaze killed three of the family’s pets, including a dog, a bird and a turtle, Stafford said.

The family’s pet snake was initially thought to have died in the fire, but was later discovered alive and returned to its owners, authorities said.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but not before it badly damaged the family’s home. The cause is still under investigation.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

In other news: 

An A4-15 platform rifle was found hidden under a jacket at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Walt Banks Road.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will expand to 48 teams, marking the first expansion of the field since 1998. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Featured

Ja’Quon Stembridge, shown here in July at the Henry County Republican Party monthly meeting, recently stepped from his position with the Georgia GOP. (Jenni Girtman for the AJC)

Credit: Jenni Girtman