La Pine man taken to hospital after kitchen fire

A La Pine man suffered smoke inhalation and his cat died after a kitchen fire broke out in his home Thursday morning, officials said.

La Pine Rural Fire District crews responded around 8:20 a.m. to the reported house fire in the 53000 block of Fourth Street, Captain Gary Young reported.

The man who lives in the 1,800-square-foot home had gotten out, but crews were told there were still animals inside.

Crews arrived to find smoke coming from the eaves of the home and a kitchen window that broke in the fire, Young said.

Crews went in and quickly extinguished the fire and ventilated the home. Young said a search of the home turned up a cat who had died.

The homeowner and occupant was taken to St. Charles Bend by a Sunriver Fire ambulance with smoke inhalation, Young said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, he said, adding that the home had working smoke detectors.