Victoria firefighters rescue cat and 6 kittens after apartment blaze

A member of the Victoria Fire Department administers oxygen to a rescued cat. (Credit: Instagram/victoriafire730)

Firefighters checking for hot spots rescued a cat that had been “overwhelmed by smoke” from a Victoria apartment last week – using an oxygen mask to revive the struggling animal, according to the department.

Crews were called to 950 Humboldt Street at 7:30 a.m. Thursday where they found heavy smoke coming from the windows of a suite. The fire was doused by the building’s sprinkler system and members of the Victoria Fire Department went in to mop up and clear the smoke, a social media post said.

That’s when Ali Trenter found the cat.

“Without hesitation, she brought the cat outside and began administering oxygen. As the cat started to recover, the occupant of the unit anxiously approached and mentioned that there were six two-week-old kittens still inside,” according to a post shared on Facebook and Instagram.

Firefighters went back inside where they searched for the kittens, ultimately finding them “huddled” in a closet. Using one member’s helmet, the kittens were rescued and brought outside to be reunited with their mother.

The department shared the story about the rescue a few hours after it occurred, saying the cat and kittens all appeared to be “doing well.”

A member of the Victoria Fire Department holds a helmet containing six rescued kittens (Credit: Instagram/victoriafire730)