Five fire departments battled a large house fire in Dodge Center.
According to the Dodge Center Fire Chief, two people were inside the home when the fire started. The elderly couple was outside by the time firefighters arrived. They were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor smoke inhalation. Two cats died in the fire.
The heat from the fire and the outside taking its toll on firefighters. Throughout the entire morning, firefighters rotated between battling the flames and getting checked out by paramedics.
"The rule adheres, especially with the heat and the conditions, one air pack or one air bottle evolution you go get checked out to make sure that you have rehabbed well enough to be able to go back in again," said Chief David Kenworthy of the Dodge Center Fire Department.
The state fire marshal will be brought in to figure out what started the fire.