ERWINVILLE - The West Baton Rouge Fire chief is speaking out after criticism over his department's response times. This Sunday, an electrical fire claimed the lives of two pets at a home in Erwinville.

Video posted on Facebook showed flames shooting into the air as firefighters worked to put out the fire on Erwin Avenue. The video had a caption in part, saying: "We have no volunteer fire department left in West Baton Rouge. We have one firefighter in Erwinville."

In the comment section of the video, the homeowner expressed their frustration.

"Now look, I lost everything due to the fact that the parish got rid of volunteers."

West Baton Rouge Fire Chief Butch Browning says they do have volunteers left, but there's an extreme shortage.

"The fire department still operates, we still have volunteer firefighters, and there's nothing political about it. We've got over 25 dedicated people right now responding to fire," Browning said.

Adding fuel to the fire, an account under the name of "Erwinville Volunteer Fire Department" made a post alleging Browning and other public officials, past and present, played a role in reducing the number of volunteers by shifting funding.

"I don't know who the Erwinville Fire Department, the fire department people are who make those posts, but they're certainly not making posts in the name of the public entity, or with what the fire department is doing in West Baton Rouge Parish so any information that they would have they didn't get it from us," Browning said.

Browning also says that regardless of who responded, the outcome of this fire would have been the same. The structure was already too far gone by the time they got the call at 2:43. He says the firefighter arrived on scene by 2:50.

"This particular fire was fully engulfed. It wouldn't matter if a big city fire department had responded with four men on a truck, it would still be a total loss," he said.

According to Browning, the department responded with the staffing and budget they have.

"We are bringing people to the hospital, we're rescuing people, that's what we're supposed to do, and I would just encourage anybody if they want to be part of the solution, come volunteer, apply for a job. We're doing the right thing," he said.

Browning encourages anyone who is interested in either volunteering or joining the fire department to stop by and apply.

The family that lost their house has set up a GoFundMe.