A family cat died this afternoon in a fire at a Niu Valley duplex, where no one was home at the time of the blaze.

Fire Capt. David Jenkins said in an email that other family pets were at the duplex, but neighbors helped remove a number of them before firefighters arrived.

Firefighters fully extinguished the two-alarm fire by 2:46 p.m. at a one-story duplex at 5512 Kawaikui St.

The fire department was called at 1:18 p.m. and the first unit arrived at 1:23 p.m. to find smoke and flames coming from the back of the home.

Firefighters went into the duplex and fought the flames and were able to prevent the fire from spreading. The fire was brought under control at 1:37 p.m.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, and no damage estimate has yet been made.