A Sunday afternoon blaze in Mankato left a family home severely damaged but saw a heartwarming rescue of eight cats. The Department of Public Safety reported being summoned to 120 Wickfield Drive at approximately 1:08 pm, following a 911 call about a fire, according to the City of Mankato, Minnesota Government.

First responders arrived at a scene of towering flames and smoke; the garage and the front of the residence were already in a fiery grasp. Nevertheless, crews acted swiftly to beat back the external inferno, making it safe enough to launch an interior attack and douse the hidden embers inside. The property was empty of its human inhabitants, yet the firefighters discovered and saved a clowder of cats caught in the conflagration. In an upshot of luck, the animals were promptly transferred to a veterinary clinic to assess their condition.

Assessors place the damage at a steep $450,000, a staggering sum no doubt, pointing to the intensity of the blaze that ravaged the family's abode. Details on the origin and cause of the fire remain scant; as officials continue to investigate the incident, seeking answers to the Sunday disaster.

Meanwhile, the community has rallied on social media, expressing relief over the feline rescue and extending their support to the family whose house was set ablaze. "No one was home at the time of the fire but firefighters found and rescued eight cats," stated the City of Mankato's Facebook post. These creatures, often seen as mere pets, are for many a part of the family, and their safety amidst calamity brings a small balm to the sting of material losses.