Firefighters Resuscitate Cat Overcome By Smoke

A black cat had to be resuscitated because of a fire in a downtown Spokane apartment building Monday night.

The fire, which started at 8:30 p.m., was confined to one of the 17 apartment units at 425 S. Washington. No one was injured, but the cat was overcome by smoke.

Firefighters put oxygen on the cat’s mouth and compressed the cat’s chest, Capt. Bob Ebbighausen said.

The cat was able to stay Monday night with its owner, Peggy Jones, who lived in apartment No. 5. She wasn’t home when the fire started in her apartment.

Firefighters evacuated the building for about 45 minutes while they put out the blaze.

All the residents were able to return except for Jones, her cat and an upstairs neighbor who’s afraid of fires, Ebbighausen said. The Red Cross found lodging for them Monday night.

The fire started on a couch in the front room, apparently from a cigarette.

, DataTimes