Wake Forest, N.C. — Amid the rubble of a Wake Forest home that went up in flames Friday night lies a small but precious grave, built for an Italian Greyhound named Adele that didn't survive the fire.

After extinguishing the blaze, firefighters buried the dog in the backyard, fashioning a cross from debris and placing a brick marker with Adele's name.

"In the middle of the night, they were tired, and they took the time to bury this dog," said neighbor Jennifer Lee. "That is above and beyond."

Lee was so touched by the gesture that she sent a photo of the grave to WRAL News.

The house, which authorities said is a "total loss," belongs to Steven Schnurrer and his wife, Jamie Tuohy, who were out of town for their daughter's wedding in Wisconsin.

Hunter Chambers, 12, spotted flames across the street, at 2636 Dun Loring Drive, shortly after 9 p.m. 

"My brother looked out the window and we saw a fire," he said. "We started yelling up to my parents, 'Call 911!'"

His mother, Jill Chambers, called Tuohy, who was stunned to hear about the fire but didn't want to miss her daughter's wedding. Jill Chambers said the couple was "just blown away" by what happened.

"It was scary," Hunter Chambers said. "My mom was crying. (My brother and I) were crying. It's scary."

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but authorities said it started at the back of the house. Neighbors on both sides of the house were evacuated and firefighters had to shuttle water to the blaze because of a lack of fire hydrants in the area.

No one was injured.