Flames destroyed a large Brevard County home, sending up smoke that could be seen for miles.
- Home on Levanto Drive destroyed
- Residents were not home at the time
- Firefighters were searching for 2 cats inside
It happened on Levanto Drive in Viera just before noon.
No one was home at the time -- but firefighters are still looking for a couple of cats that were inside.
Fire shot through the roof of the Levanto Drive home.
Flames were so intense, Brevard Fire Rescue firefighters had no choice but to go into defensive mode to keep it from spreading to neighboring houses.
Local realtor Jason Bucci was driving by just past the Viera Courthouse and saw the smoke and flames.
He called 911 and sprang into action.
"I jumped over the fence and into the backyard, was beating on the door to see if anybody was in the house," says Bucci.
No one answered.
Bucci took out his phone and shot video of the flames tearing through the house.
"It went fast. The fire went fast," he said.
Some 30 firefighters responded, but the home was engulfed.
"They already had a roof collapse, fire through the roof," said Brevard Fire Rescue Chief Mark Schollmeyer.
The goal for firefighters at that point was to keep it from spreading to homes on either side, just feet away.
We're told the owners arrived less than an hour after the fire. Fire Rescue is doing what they can to help them in this tragedy.
The home is a total loss. No word yet on a cause.