CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A fire destroyed a home at 2025 NE 2nd Ave. in Cape Coral on Friday afternoon.

Neighbors called 911 after seeing smoke.  They told dispatchers there might be children inside.   

When firefighters arrived, they found two children outside, but several animals were rescued from inside the burning home.

Two kittens had to be resuscitated by Lee County paramedics, but all the animals survived.

The pets were taken by animal control officers to Lee County Domestic Animal Services.

Cape Coral Police called the childrens' mother who told WINK News she was applying for jobs and left the children in her oldest daughter's care.

Lese Klatka said she was both "relieved and sad."

"This is just another drop in the bucket for us.  We'll get through it as we always do and pull together," Klatka said.

Cape Coral Fire Rescue Inspector Dave Webster says the fire started because of a malfunctioning dryer in the home's garage.

He estimated the damage to be between $50,000-$60,000.