DEERFIELD – A fire ripped through one of the oldest homes in town Monday night, killing three dogs.

The fire was reported shortly after 6 p.m., when a man renting an apartment attached to the 11 North Road home returned and found smoke billowing from the main house.

The homeowners, listed as Eric and Sandra Lahr, had gone out to dinner and were not home when the fire broke out.

Deerfield Fire and Rescue crews were assisted by fire departments from Raymond, Candia, Chester, Fremont, Northwood, Nottingham, Strafford, Auburn, Pittsfield and Epsom. The fire went to three alarms, and there was a special call for four additional tanker trucks and Raymond's ladder truck, Deerfield Fire Chief Mark Tibbetts said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Deerfield Police Chief Mike Greeley said the state Fire Marshal's Office was contacted and would be visiting the scene this morning. He said the fire appeared to start on the first floor and spread to the second floor. He said the separate rental unit did not appear to have been damaged by the fire.

The homeowners of the 11 North Road residence weren't home when this fire broke out Monday. (GRETYL MACALASTER)

Firefighter Barbie Raymond said she tried to save the three dogs, a Doberman, a black lab and a brown lab, which were in kennels when the fire broke out, but was unable to.

She said the renter initially tried to go in after the dogs after reporting the fire but was unable to get to them because of the smoke.

Raymond said the Lahrs, who own Lahr's Transmission in Candia, had recently finished extensive renovations to the 1800s home.

Crews were still battling hot spots nearly three hours after the fire began.

North Road from Meetinghouse Hill Road to Church Street was shut down as crews fought the fire.