Cats, small birds and other small animals were unaccounted for following a house fire Sunday near McHenry, Nunda Rural Fire Protection District spokesperson said.

Crews encountered “significant interior storage conditions” inside the home, hindering their fire attack, Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said.

Firefighters were called about 4:38 p.m. to South Benbrook Avenue in an unincorporated area outside McHenry for reports of a house fire, Vucha said in a news release.

Smoke was showing from all sides of the single-story house located on a short, dead-end stretch of roadway with no hydrants. Firefighters established a rural water supply operation, bringing in water tanks, Vucha said.

The amount of items stored inside the home limited firefighters’ ability to access a back bedroom where the fire was believed to have started, according to the release.

Because of the home’s interior conditions and the fire’s location, crews were forced to open up a rear wall to access the fire’s source and check for extension into other areas.

The fire was primarily contained to the bedroom, but heavy smoke and water damage was present throughout the home and left it uninhabitable. The homeowner is receiving assistance from the American Red Cross, Vucha said.

Due to the home’s interior conditions, other areas of it were also inaccessible for investigators, Vucha said, adding it was unknown if any pets died from the fire. Numerous pets, including two or three cats, several small birds and other animals, were missing after the fire.

Crews remained on scene for about three hours for the investigation and ensuring the fire was out, Vucha said, adding the fire’s cause remains under investigation by the Nunda Rural Fire Protection District.