Family unharmed, cats killed in house fire near Willow Springs

WILLOW SPRINGS, NC — A firefighter was injured and pets lost their lives when a single-family home caught fire early Wednesday morning in Wake County.

A neighbor told WRAL News the family escaped safely, but said several of the family’s cats died in the fire. The neighbor said he took a cat to the vet for the family and said the pet is expected to survive.

At around 12:30 a.m., emergency crews were called to a fire at a two-story home on Chimara Court in Willow Springs. The fire had reached the second floor and the attic, officials said.

The residents, a dog and the cat were able to escape the home before firefighters arrived, according to a Fuquay-Varina city spokesman. Officials said three cats were missing.

One firefighter suffered minor burns to his shoulder. The firefighter was treated at the scene and returned to duty, officials said.

WRAL News was told the fire may have started on the patio of the home. The Fuquay-Varina Fire Department is leading the investigation, authorities said.

The Fairview and Garner fire departments in Wake County, the Angier-Black River Fire Department in Harnett County and Fire Department 50-210 in Johnston County assisted with relief efforts.

WRAL News is trying to determine what caused the fire.