Wilmington, IL – A Saturday afternoon kitchen fire at a Wilmington home led to the rescue of several pets but tragically claimed the lives of a dog and a cat.
The fire occurred at 4:41 p.m. at a small one-story residence on Joliet Street, just as Wilmington firefighters were returning from a jet ski distress call on the Kankakee River. Braidwood Fire personnel, who were covering for Wilmington during the initial call, were first on the scene and found an active fire in the kitchen.
Wilmington firefighters arrived shortly after and quickly extinguished the blaze. A female resident, who discovered the fire, was outside when firefighters arrived. She was evaluated on the scene and later transported to the hospital for further treatment. Inside the residence, firefighters rescued two dogs and four cats. Despite efforts to resuscitate the animals, one dog and one cat perished. However, one dog and three cats were revived and taken to a veterinary clinic for further care.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
