Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

POKAGON TOWNSHIP — 18 pets were rescued from a residential fire in Pokagon Township Monday afternoon, according to the Dowagiac City Fire Department.

At approximately 1:38 p.m., Dowagiac City Fire and Wayne Township Fire Departments were dispatched to a residence at 56720 Lyle Dr. in Pokagon Township for a caller reporting she believed she had smoke coming from her furnace.

An off-duty firemen arrived on the scene within two minutes and alerted incoming FIRE and EMS units that this was a confirmed working structure fire with heavy smoke from the front of the structure with the homeowner advising several animals were trapped inside of the burning residence unable to escape.

Crews worked diligently to extinguish the fire using a transactional fire attack and command was able to radio the fire under control at 2:05 p.m. Fire crews completed primary and secondary searches of the residence with each search negative for victims, however, a total of nine dogs, eight cats and a rabbit were all rescued from the structure. Life-saving measures were performed by Dowagiac Firefighters and SMCAS, all animals will make a full recovery.

Moderate damage was noted to one room of the residence and minor smoke damage throughout the rest of the residence. The fire started in a small room off to one side of the residence. It has been determined that no human intervention was related to the cause of the fire. No working smoke detectors were observed in the residence, please take this time to remember that only working smoke alarms can save lives.

Dowagiac Fire Crews were also assisted by the Dowagiac Police Department, Wayne Township Fire Department, SMCAS, Cass County Animal Control, SEMCO Energy and American Electric Power.