Montoursville Fire Department photo.

A mobile home fire Tuesday night at 45 Back St. in Upper Fairfield Township left a man and a woman homeless, according to Montoursville Deputy Fire Chief Tyler Schramm. There were no injuries, but the couple’s dogs, believed to be three of them at least, perished in the fire, which was brought under control within 15 minutes, he said. The tenants, whose names were not released, were not home at the time. They had no fire insurance, Schramm said.

A neighbor saw smoke pouring from the property about 6:30 p.m. and called 911. Aware that animals were in the structure, the neighbor kicked in a door and attempted to reach them, but “he was met with a large amount of heat and fire,” and could not save them, Schramm said.

Firefighters could see a large column of smoke as they approached the scene from Route 87.

Pennsdale Fire Chief Scott Oldweiler. who happened to be at a nearby campsite when the dispatch came over his fire radio, was the first on the scene. He said the mobile home was engulfed in flames. “There was fire blowing out of both sides of the trailer,” he said.

Montoursville firefighters were on the scene in a matter of minutes, and stopped the flames from reaching other mobile homes. Assisting Montoursville were firefighters from Loyalsock Township, Eldred Township, Pennsdale and South Williamsport. While other companies were dispatched, their services were not needed.

Schramm said the home was a total loss. The local chapter of the American Red Cross was providing emergency assistance to the victims. Cpl. Nathan Birth, a state police fire marshal,has been assigned to investigate the cause of the fire.