9 cats die in vet clinic fire

Nine cats perished in an early morning fire early Wednesday at Heartland Veterinary Care, 2612 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson, assistant fire chief Randy Davis said.

The cats died of smoke inhalation, Davis said.

The call was received at 12:36 a.m. Davis said the fire's cause is unknown.

He said fire itself damaged about 20 percent of the building, and the rest of the damage was caused by heavy smoke.

The only animals in the building at the time were cats, Davis said.

The fire was put out in about 20 minutes. Seventeen firefighters were on the scene. Four firetrucks came from Jackson and one from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, which was called for mutual aid because firefighters didn't know how many animals were inside, Davis said.

Davis said firefighters entered the clinic in rescue mode at first, looking for animals that might be hiding.

Three of the cats that died lived inside the clinic, he said. Six were from Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in Jackson so they could be spayed and neutered, director Alice Wybert said.

"It was not a happy way to start the day," she said.

No nearby buildings were affected by the fire.