BEAVERCREEK - Firefighters resuscitated two cats they pulled from a smoke-filled house Monday in the Beavercreek area south of Oregon City.
"One of the cats was doing real well," said Brandon Paxton, Clackamas Fire District 1 spokesman. "They other one was having a little harder time. In any case, they both will be taken to a vet for a thorough examination."
Paxton said the cats' owner would bring the cats to the Cats Meow Cat Clinic in Oregon City.
The rescuers used special resuscitators. They have masks of different sizes that fit over an animal's muzzle, directing oxygen to the distressed patient. Paxton said this incident is the second time in two months that a special resuscitator as been used by Clackamas 1 firefighters to successfully resuscitate a cat.
Paxton said a passerby reported seeing smoke coming from a house in the 12700 block of South Casto Road shortly before 12:30 p.m. He said arriving fire crews found a fire burning in the kitchen.
"They were able to extinguish it quickly," Paxton said. He said quick response kept the fire from spreading to other parts of the home.
He said a subsequent search of the house failed to turn up any people inside.
Cause of the fire remains under investigation. Paxton said investigators had not yet estimated damage, but said heavy smoke likely damaged items throughout the house.
-- Rick Bella rbella@oregonian.com
503-294-5915; @southnewshound