No injuries at Hernando, FL residential fire, although 2 of 12 cats perish and 2 not found
Hernando, Florida - At 3:55 am, on Monday, January 9, 2023, Citrus County Fire Rescue (CCFR) responded to N. Redwood Ave. in Hernando due to a report of a housefire. Firefighters arrived on scene to find a single story residence approximately 40% involved with fire.
The homeowner advised firefighters that everyone had exited with home, with the exception of 12 cats still inside.
Deputies conducted a 360-degree inspection of the property and established an offensive attack. Two firefighters entered the residence to extinguish the fire. During several searches, eight cats were located and removed from the property; they were provided with oxygen support by rescue crew members. Two cats were found deceased and crew members assisted the homeowner with burying them on the property. Firefighters were unable to find the two remaining cats. Firefighters also retrieved personal items from the residence for the property owner.
No other injuries were reported.
The property owner advised firefighters that he'd been cooking when he fell asleep and awakened to find the kitchen on fire.
The fire was brought under control as of 4:15 am, and the last unit cleared the scene at 6:41 am. The power company arrived on scene to disconnect the power.
Damages to the property and its contents were estimated at approximately $142,000. Due to the extensive damage, the home was uninhabitable; the American Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance to the displaced occupants.
Firefighters from the Hernando, Citrus Springs, Pine Ridge, Kensington, Connell Heights and Highlands fire stations responded to the fire, along with a Safety Captain.
Citrus County Fire Rescue can be contacted by phone at (352) 527-5406, or via 911 within Citrus County, Florida in the event of an emergency. Visit CCFR online at www.CitrusCountyFire.com, Facebook.com/CitrusCountyFireRescue, or Twitter.com/CitrusCoFire.