7 pit bull puppies die in backyard kennel fire in Rock Hill, officials say

Police and fire officials in Rock Hill are investigating after seven pit bull puppies died in a fire Saturday.

The dogs were in a wooden kennel behind an Arlington Avenue home when the fire broke out around 7 p.m., said Mark Simmons, Rock Hill Fire Department deputy chief.

Four adult pit bulls that were chained in the back yard were not injured

Fire department investigators are trying to determine how the fire started, Simmons said.

Police were alerted to the fire Saturday when a passerby flagged down a patrol officer, according to a Rock Hill Police Department report.

The homeowner later told officers he had left the home about two hours before the fire, police said.

As of Monda no charges had been filed, said Capt. Mark Bollinger of the police department.

This story was originally published September 4, 2018 at 1:00 PM with the headline "7 pit bull puppies die in backyard kennel fire in Rock Hill, officials say."