Breath of life revives feline house fire victim

As wind-fanned flames ripped through windows of a Prineville home Thursday afternoon, firefighters battled the blaze from the top and worked to rescue trapped animals from the bottom.

“(A neighbor) came over and told me the dogs were still in the house,” said a neighbor who noticed the fire after he smelled the smoke from his house on East First Street.

Neighbors said the woman who lives at the two-story home was out of town on vacation and her son was in school. Several of them tried to save the family’s three dogs.

“I tried to go in and get them, but I know better then to open a burning door,” said neighbor Laurel Russell. “I figured they’d be dead.”

Crook County Deputy Fire Chief Casey Kump said crews arrived to find the upstairs ablaze and the downstairs full of smoke.

After breaking in the front door. firefighters went in and let the dogs out a back door.

About 15 minutes later, a cat was found inside — this time, too late.

Or so they thought.

After the cat lay on the lawn unmoving for several minutes, Russell noticed something.

“When I looked over there, I saw its chest was barely moving, so I went over, scooped that sucker up and gave it mouth-to-mouth,” Russell said. “And it came out of it and started breathing.”

Russell then took all four animals to Crooked Tail Veterinary Clinic. She said all of them appear to be in good health.

Meanwhile, fire officials said the house was a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but a release from the department said the fire began in an upstairs bedroom, with losses estimated at $60,000. The Red Cross has been in contact with the two residents to provide assistance.