Family: Fridge explosion caused fire that killed 4 pets

BESSEMER CITY, N.C. — A burned-out shell is all that's left of a Bessemer City house after a massive overnight fire.

Family members told Channel 9 a refrigerator exploded causing the fire.

The family of four escaped but their four pets died.

Michael Fowler told Channel 9 that he and his fiancée were sleeping in the back bedroom when he heard an explosion around 11:30 p.m.

IMAGES: 4 pets die in Bessemer City house fire

He said he ran over to the living room, opened a door to a room where the animals were kept and flames shot out.

He said he then quickly began gathering his family -- his fiancée, their 3-year-old daughter and his father.

All of them made it out safely, as well as one dog named Lady. She was not in a crate.

Fowler said he tried to save the other dogs still trapped inside but he was overwhelmed by the smoke and flames.

"I just couldn't make it and at that point I wasn't sure if I was going to make it back out because the smoke inhalation was -- I could hardly breathe," he said.

He told Channel 9 he left after making three trips into the house, where three dogs and a cat died in their crates.

Channel 9 is talking to fire investigators about an item just a few feet away that may have caused the fire.

Fowler operated a shelter out of the residence called Paws of Gaston.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.