A rural Waterloo home was completely consumed by flames late Thursday morning.

“A total loss,” Waterloo Fire Chief Mark Yeager said. “One hundred percent gone.”

The Waterloo Fire Department responded to the fire at 900 Gall Road near Schewe Falls shortly after 11:40 a.m.

There were no humans inside the structure when the fire occurred, but five dogs and two cats perished in the blaze.

The Columbia Fire Department was requested for tanker support to help extinguish the fire. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, Monroe County EMS and Waterloo Police Department also assisted at the scene.

Yeager explained that the flames were too intense for firefighters to rescue the animals inside.

“There was nothing we could do,” he said.

Jamie Davis, the daughter of Shelly and Paul Fahey, told the Republic-Times newspaper at the scene that she had left the house for just a short while to pick up her son from preschool, glad we were able to help him.”

Both Lansing and Andres said they just did what anyone would’ve done in that situation.

“He was a very sweet man,” Lansing said. “I’m glad it all worked out.”

Moore had high praise for the officers and farmer, and said that her grandfather was OK.

“They took such good care of my granddad,” Moore said of the officers. “In the height of everything that is going on in Ferguson, Mo., these two cops, the farmer, and Brittany from the gas station (Casey’s in Steeleville) restored my trust in officers and citizens. My granddad is African-American and while we worried about prejudice, we received so much support from the police officers and the community.”