Dozens of cats and a dog died when a fire broke out in a Long Beach apartment building on Sunday morning.
Long Beach firefighter Jack Crabtree said the Long Beach Fire Department responded to a call for a three-story apartment building in the 3500 block of Linden Avenue, and firefighters put out the flames seven minutes later. It is not clear how long the fire burned after firefighters were able to resolve it.
A total of 32 cats and one dog succumbed to the fire. The residents of the apartment were not at home at the time. She told authorities that the animals did not belong to her and planned to adopt them.
Residents said the smoke spilled into the corridors of the apartment building. The fire was installed in an apartment unit that suffered severe damage. No other occupants were affected.
Crabtree said the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Crabtree said that the Long Beach animal service that assisted and handled the animals after the fire was put out, and could not comment on whether other animals were preserved within the unit.
It is not clear how old these animals are. With some exceptions, the City of Long Beach allows no more than four weaned pets at one location.
