Residents in Pilot Butte are picking up the pieces after a large fire destroyed two homes in the community early Sunday morning.

Firefighters from Balgonie, White City, Emerald Park, in addition to crews from Pilot Butte, responded to a house fire on the 700 block of Aspen Crescent at around 1:45 a.m. on Sunday.

Crews worked for hours to control and extinguish the fire that involved two houses located side-by-side.

Pictures from the scene show the front façade of one of the homes still standing – with the majority of the structure located behind completely charred and collapsed.

The home next door showed signs of heavy damage – but less than the original house.

Fire crews from Balgonie were able to return home at around 6 a.m. - while local responders remained on scene well into Sunday morning.

Recognizing the intense damage, the Town of Pilot Butte shared a statement Sunday – offering support for the families affected by the weekend fire.

“Our hearts go out to the residents who lost their homes in the early morning hours of August 31,” the post read. “We cannot begin to imagine the pain and loss you are experiencing, and we want you to know that our entire community stands with you during this incredibly difficult time.”

The Pilot Butte Fire Department wasn’t able to provide many more details regarding the fire – only that several pets from one of the houses remain missing.