A fire in Long Beach's Lindenwood Apartment Complex on Sunday morning ended in tragedy when 32 cats and one dog, all part of a foster program awaiting adoption, perished in the blaze. The fire was reported at approximately 7:15 a.m. on the 3500 block of Linden Avenue, said the Long Beach Fire Department in their statement, per CBS News.
Firefighters arrived to find "heavy smoke on the third floor," and the response team accessed the unit and quickly extinguished the fire, preventing further spread to neighboring units. While no human injuries were reported, the fire did displace one resident, and the smoke, battling through it, resulted in the death of the animals, according to the LBFD. Long Beach Animal Care will be offering assistance to the resident in the aftermath of the incident.
The affected apartment sustained severe damage, though the swift actions of the fire department ensured that the fire did not extend to other units. A neighbor expressed his shock to KTLA, remarking that there had been advisories against keeping animals in the complex. This tragic information comes as an echo with the units needing to house these animals for a temporary period through an organization, as they await new homes. Mitzi Vazquez of KTLA contributed reports regarding the previous advisories against keeping animals in the apartment complex.
An LBFD fire investigator was on the scene to determine the cause and origin of the devastating fire. No Red Cross assistance was required for the displaced resident. "Sadly, 32 cats and 1 dog were found deceased," said the LBFD. Further details surrounding the incident are awaited as fire investigators delve into the cause of the blaze, the LBFD announced in a news release.
