Ocala firefighters rescued four pets from a two-story apartment building on Monday morning after a fire ignited inside one of the units.
Shortly before 9:25 a.m., Ocala Fire Rescue units responded to a residential structure fire at NE 14th Street and NE 17th Avenue after a passerby had reported smoke in the area.
Upon arrival, the units observed smoke that was showing from the two-story apartment building’s roof. The firefighters reported that the smoke was coming from the eastern-most unit of building #1700.
According to OFR, the firefighters forced entry through the front door, entered the living room, and spotted the fire in the kitchen. The fire was controlled using an extinguisher filled with water, and the firefighters completed a search of the building.
No people were in the building at the time of the fire, though the firefighters found a dog and five cats on the second floor. Animal oxygen masks were used to help reverse the effects of smoke inhalation. Unfortunately for the dog and one of the cats, it was too late.
Due to fire and smoke damages, the apartment was deemed uninhabitable. The OFR units on scene requested assistance for the family from American Red Cross.
The Ocala Police Department and Marion County Fire Rescue also responded.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.