Paramedics provided oxygen to two cats that firefighters had carried from the building.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Nine tenants escaped a Sunday morning fire on Kellogg Street.
Firefighters were dispatched for a structure fire at 11 Kellogg Street shortly after 8 a.m. The tenants in the four-family duplex along with a number of pets got out.
Firefighters carried two cats out of the structure, both of which received oxygen by County Ambulance before being taken to a veterinarian.
"On arrival, they found heavy fire on the first floor, crews advanced a couple of lines in the building. In the meantime, we were assured that everyone was out of the building," Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said.
The Red Cross is being called in to find alternative housing for the nine individuals. The fire began on the first floor and that side is "pretty well gutted," according to Czerwinski. A fire investigator was called to the scene but Czerwinski doesn't believe the fire to be suspicious.
"We've gotten some reports that it was an accidental fire started by a tenant," Czerwinski said.
The chief said the fire "was pretty cut and dry" with the only challenge being a large quantity of combustible material in the structure.
"The fire was knocked down pretty quickly. The deputy chief made it a double alarm which brought all on-duty crews to the scene, we called in some mutual aid companies to help out the city," Czerwinski said.
One firefighter received medical treatment on the scene. Czerwinski said the firefighter had been sick earlier in the week and was treated because of difficulty breathing.
"It was just a little tough for him to breath in there. He felt uncomfortable so they brought him out and let him get a little rehab," Czerwinski said.
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