More than a dozen cats die in house fire near Walkerton

South Bend Tribune (IN)

May 21--WALKERTON -- A couple escaped unharmed from a fire that destroyed their house Sunday afternoon, but more than a dozen of their cats didn't make it out alive.

Perry and Theresa Smith estimated they had nearly 20 cats at their house in Lincoln Township near the town of Walkerton, and only three survived the blaze. There were two litters of kittens and several rescue cats in the house, located at 33478 Towle Road.

"It's the worst day of my life," said Perry Smith, explaining that the retired couple sells kittens. "We couldn't get to the cats because the smoke was so overwhelming."

Firefighters reported that numerous cats were found dead on the main floor of the house, where they suffocated from smoke inhalation. The three cats that survived were administered oxygen after being rushed out of the house.

The Walkerton Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at 3:35 p.m., arriving less than 10 minutes later.

"We had flames on the south exterior and heavy smoke from every area of the eaves of the roof," said Kenny Eggleston, the department's chief.

It took about 40 minutes for firefighters to contain the blaze, he said, with the "help of ventilation and an interior attack."

Perry Smith said he was watching television in the basement with his wife when a circuit breaker tripped. The breaker was reset, and then it tripped again. Minutes later, he said, the couple noticed smoke coming from the main floor.

"We went upstairs and there was dense smoke. You couldn't breathe," he said, explaining that the couple rushed from the house and asked a bystander to call 911.

He suspects an electrical issue caused the fire to start in the sunroom at the rear of the house, which had 10 power outlets and a ceiling fan. After hearing Smith's account of what happened, Eggleston concluded an electrical issue likely caused the blaze.

The couple has homeowner's insurance and expect damages to be fully covered. But they'll miss their cats.

"I loved them all," Theresa Smith said, adding that people had recently agreed to buy four kittens. "We're going to have to tell them they're not available."

Walkerton firefighters were assisted by the Koontz Lake-Oregon Township Fire Department, Liberty Township Fire Department, Pleasant Township Fire Department and Polk Township Fire Department.

[email protected] 574-235-6070 @Tbooker24

[email protected]

574-235-6070

@Tbooker24

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