9/4/2008

No one was home and no injuries were reported in connection with a house fire late this morning at 3206 12th Avenue.  The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 11:24 a.m.  Upon arrival, the firefighters located the fire in the kitchen on the first floor.  The two-story house had reportedly been divided up into three apartment units, two of which were being used. 

Though there were no people in the house, there were about 10 cats inside.  The firefighters discovered them while extinguishing the fire in the kitchen.  Some of the cats got out of the house on their own, while others were showing obvious ill effects from smoke inhalation.  The firefighters got out oxygen bottles and used special masks for animals in an effort to revive the cats (see attached photos).  The firefighters successfully revived several cats that were injured, but one was not expected to survive.

Battalion Chief Ben Biggs said the fire was contained to the kitchen area, but there was smoke damage to the rest of the apartment unit.  The dollar loss was estimated at around $10,000.   Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the two people who live in the fire-damaged apartment unit.

Captain Lesley Morgan with the Fire Investigation Division said the cause of the fire appears to be accidental in nature, most likely from a cat knocking over an unattended candle in the kitchen.

In the photo:  Senior Firefighter Josh Burchard pulls the oxygen mask off for a moment on his cat to check for signs of improvement.  While most of the cats were successfully revived, one was not expected to survive.

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