Citrus Springs, FL - At 4:56 P.M. on January 4th, Citrus County Fire Rescue was dispatched to a structure fire at a residence on North Elliot Way in Citrus Springs.

At 5:09 P.M., the crew on the first arriving apparatus from Pine Ridge station Engine 20 found a 1500-square-foot, single-story, wood-frame home with smoke showing. The complainant reported that no one was home, but heard barking and advised there was possibly approximately eight cats in the home.

Crews made entry at 5:14 P.M., reporting negative results on the primary search at 5:30 P.M. for any residents. There were eight out of 10 cats able to be saved from the fire and five of them required reviving using pet oxygen masks. Unfortunately, two cats were unable to be saved.

Battalion Chief Bob Bessler declared the fire under control at 5:27 P.M. Crews from Citrus Springs station 14 with Engine 14, DeRosa station 9 with Engine 9, Connell Heights station 7 with Rescue 7, Battalion Chief 1, Safety Captain 103, and the Rehab unit from Citrus Springs station 14 responded to the scene. A negative secondary search was reported at 5:43 P.M. for any other occupants. After overhaul, crews cleared the scene at 6:34 P.M.

The fire appeared to have started in the clothes dryer and is not considered suspicious in nature. The Red Cross was called to assist four adults and one child whom were displaced due to the smoke and water damage.