Ten pets saved from house fire

EAST NORRITON » One person was treated for smoke inhalation and 10 pets were rescued from a house fire that broke out in the 200 block of Oak Tree Road, Saturday, April 22.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene for a reported grease fire at 7:23 p.m. and arrived to find fire and smoke visible from the front door.

According to East Norriton Fire Marshal Frank Ludwig, crews from the Norriton Fire Company and the Norristown Fire Department located and removed a total of 11 pets — five dogs and six cats — from the burning building before the fire was declared under control around 8 p.m.

A resident was transported to Einstein Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation after attempting to reenter the house to retrieve the animals, Ludwig said.

The cats were then taken to Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital for emergency care, where one cat later died.

Investigators determined that the fire was accidentally started from cooking.

In addition to the Norriton Fire Engine Company and the Norristown Fire Department, the Centre Square, Harmonville and Jefferson Fire companies provided mutual aid with support from Plymouth Community Ambulance and East Norriton police.

The Red Paw Emergency Relief Team is assisting the family with the displaced pets.

Red Paw thanked the first responders for their quick, life-saving actions on their Facebook page, Sunday.

The post states that all the dogs rescued from the home escaped injury, but two of the cats — Bella Rose and Tiger — needed further treatment. The other surviving cats were treated and released.

“The family has worked very hard to keep all of their pets with them and even visited their two cats in the hospital today,” the post reads. “The staff at Met Vet has been amazing (as usual) in doing what they can to keep cost down, but even with significant discounts, intake and treatment at an emergency hospital for six cats can be costly.”

Because they have reached their per family cap, Red Paw is asking for donations totaling $825 to supplement the cost of Tiger and Bella Rose’s treatments and the cremation of Max, the cat who died.

Donations can be made at www.redpawemergencyreliefteam.org/donate

PHOTO COURTESY OF RED EMERGENCY PAW RELIEF TEAM The staff at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital tend to one of the cats that survived a Saturday evening fire.