35 animals found during Boone County house fire

More than 30 dogs and cats were removed from a home just east of Columbia.

Boone County Fire Protection District firefighters were sent to 501 E. Broadview Court at about 11:30 a.m. on calls of a house fire, district Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp said. The homeowner met the first firefighters to arrive and said a fire started on the kitchen stove and she threw towels on it, Blomenkamp said.

Firefighters could hear dogs barking and cats meowing when they entered the home to find fire on the stove and in the kitchen cabinets above it, Blomenkamp said. Crews put out the fire and began ventilating the home and rescuing pets, he said.

In total 19 cats and 15 dogs were rescued from the home, but one cat died from smoke inhalation, Blomenkamp said. Firefighters and Boone Hospital Center medics worked to revive pets suffering from smoke inhalation using donated oxygen masks made specially for pets, he said. All of the animals were suffering from symptoms of smoke inhalation, he said.

Animal control removed the animals and took them into custody.

The house suffered fire damage in the kitchen area and smoke damage throughout, Blomenkamp said, and was not inhabitable after the fire. Firefighters were at the scene for about two hours, Blomenkamp said.

ABC 17 News called the Central Missouri Humane Society to get more information about the animals, but no one was immediately available.