Fire officials say a 3-alarm blaze destroyed the inside of a Morris County home Saturday afternoon and nearly claimed the lives of the family's cats.

Firefighters extinguished the flames at the Timberline Road house, while also rescuing the family pets. Officials say the family wasn't home at the time of the fire, but the smoke detectors in the house were working.

Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire, but say flames were coming from the basement.