First responders to a house fire saved a number of pets Wednesday morning in North Merrick. 

Officials say flames ripped through a home on Powell Avenue just before 10 a.m. The occupants were not injured, but they told first responders that several cats, two dogs and a lizard were inside. 

First responders say the cats found inside appeared to be in bad shape. They say they gave them oxygen and performed CPR on the felines. 

"Some of them were very labored in breathing. Then, we just wrapped our hands around the chest cavity of the animal and performed light compressions to try to revive the cat," says Nassau Police Officer Ronald Curaba.

The homeowners watched in awe.

"They were like lying there completely still like they were dead, and I just watched them come back to life," says Lisa Constantino. 

About 50 percent of the house was destroyed by the fire. The Constantinos say they are beyond grateful to the first responders who went to great lengths to save their four-legged friends.

"These guys are so amazing. I can't describe it in words. Kids gotta know the heroes aren't the movie stars, the singers, Batman and Robin. The real heroes are the police department and the fire department," says Dante Constantino. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.