Six cats were rescued from a house fire early Wednesday morning in the 8500 block of Second Street of downtown Dexter, officials said.
No one was at home at the time the blaze broke out and there were no reported injures.
The Dexter Area Fire Department was called to the structure fire around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. When crews arrived, flames were coming through the roof of the house, according to Assistant Chief Robert Wagner.
“The kittens were running all over outside,” Wagner said. “They were in and out of the house and on the porch when we arrived and then the owner ... came and put them in a box.”
Crews extinguished the blaze and didn't clear the scene until 4:30 a.m.
The fire originated on the second floor of the home, which is divided into separate apartments, according to officials. Wagner said there was smoke throughout the house and damages could total between $35,000 and $45,000.
The Washtenaw-Lenawee County Chapter of the American Red Cross provided residents with shelter and support. A Red Cross volunteer met with one of the residents Thursday afternoon and aided in permanently placing the six cats with The Humane Society, according to a press release.
The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation, Wagner said.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office and fire departments from Putnam Township and Hamburg Township assisted.
Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.