AUBURN —  Seven animals perished Tuesday in a house fire at 774 Jordan School Road on Tuesday.

Auburn Fire Battalion Chief David Richard said no one was home at the time, but five dogs and two cats perished inside the 1½ story wood-frame home.

Dispatchers were notified of the fire at 5:25 p.m. Auburn police arrived first nine minutes later and reported flames coming from the first floor.

Firefighters encountered heavy smoke and “light fire conditions” when they first arrived, Richard said.

“The wind was not a factor but the cold temperatures were,” Richard said. “We experienced a lot of icing in the road, which created some slip-and-trip hazards for the firefighters.”

Firefighters had assistance from Lewiston, as well as tankers from Durham, Pownal and New Gloucester, and had the fire under control at 6:30 p.m. and extinguished at 7:45 p.m.

Richard said the structure, occupied by a husband and wife, was still standing but will likely be a total loss once all of the damage is assessed.

The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen area in the back of the building, but the cause was not known Tuesday night. It remains under investigation by Auburn fire and police.