AULANDER – An Aulander man lost all his possessions, including a cat, here Thursday morning when fire gutted his Main Street residence.

Clarence Williams, who resided at 301 East Main Street, was not at home when the fire broke out at approximately 10:45 a.m.

Seven members of the Aulander Volunteer Fire Department responded with three units. They were assisted by seven firefighters and three units from Millennium VFD.

According to Aulander VFD 1st Lt. Jason Tinkham, the fire apparently began in a closet in the back bedroom area of the single-story structure.

“It spread in all directions from there,” Tinkham said. “It was really hard to put out the fire because that house, without a vented attic, was like a sealed box.”

Tinkham went on to say that the lack of a vented attic plus the small size of the home led to some extreme temperatures on the interior.

“It was awfully hot inside,” Tinkham noted.

That heat, coupled with heavy smoke, apparently led to the death of the cat.

“We found the cat in a tight spot near the refrigerator,” Tinkham said. “I guess it was trying to find a safe place, but there was none inside the home.”

Firemen remained on the scene until 12:45 p.m.

The house was a total loss.