Man sets house ablaze while cremating dog

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DALE CITY, Va., July 17 (UPI) -- A Dale City, Va., man accidentally set his house on fire while trying to dispose of the remains of his dead pet dog, officials say.

The owner of the large Rottweiler started the fire Wednesday morning by putting pieces of wood next to its body and boosting the flames with gasoline, the News & Messenger in Manassas, Va, reported.

Firefighters were called to the two-story, single-family home at 9:10 a.m., where they found smoke coming out the front of the house and flames from the outside to the attic in the back.

Prince William fire and rescue Battalion Chief Joe Robertson explained that the gasoline had pooled near the house, extending the flames to the home.

The blaze caused $70,000 worth of damage to the home.

Robertson said it was unclear why the owner, whose name wasn't reported, was disposing of the dog by cremating it or how the dog died.

The matter was being investigated and no charges had been filed.