Seventeen cats are dead following a house fire at a South Chesterfield home Thursday night.
Chesterfield fire crews responded at 6:01 p.m. to the 2700 block of Milhorn Street for a reported fire.
Officials believe the blaze started in the master bedroom. An exact cause is still under investigation; however, it appears to be accidental.
“A number of cats died in the house,” said Lt. Jason Elmore. “They were fostering cats and had a total of 27 in the home.”
Shannon Squires, who lives at the home, said firefighters found 12 deceased cats while on scene.
“When we went to look around, we found some others under the bed,” Squires said.
As of Friday morning, two cats were still missing. Eight cats were brought to an emergency veterinary clinic in the area for treatment. Squires said they’re expected to be OK.
Three adults and one child were displaced from the home and are being helped by the American Red Cross.