Firefighters were called to a house fire Monday afternoon that caused major damage to a Kirkland home and claimed the life of a pet rabbit.

“I saw smoke coming out of the chimney and I knew there was no one home,” said neighbor Kirk Running, who called 911 at 12:30 p.m.

Fire departments from Kirkland, Bellevue and Redmond responded to the call in the 8300 block of 132nd Ave. N.E. In all, two ladder trucks, five engines and two aid cars arrived at the scene. Kirkland police shut down 132nd Avenue between Northeast 80th Street and Northeast 85th Street to accommodate all the emergency vehicles.

“(The homeowner) is aware but there was no one home,” said Kirkland Fire Department Battalion Chief Joe Sanford, who said the blaze was a one-alarm fire. “It most likely started in the kitchen, got into the walls and moved to the second floor.”

Firefighters had to cut through the roof to get into the attic and the smoke could be smelled for blocks.

“There was a rabbit that did not make it,” said Sanford. “It most likely died of smoke inhalation.”

Sanford said that they also had reports of a missing cat.

“We got here in time before any of the surrounding structures were threatened,” said Sanford.

The home is surrounded by tall trees and foliage that could have spread the fire.

“This time of year we are not too worried about it but if there were flames we would have started with that and worked our way back,” said Sanford.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.