Though a Madison Street apartment was scorched in a Monday afternoon blaze, the numerous pets of all kinds who called the apartment home were rescued by Forest Park firefighters.
Four cats, a turtle, two exotic snakes and several rodents were pulled from the apartment at 7204 Madison Street above the currency exchange, according to Fire Chief Steve Glinke.
Glinke said that the department was notified of the fire at about 2 p.m. on Monday, when they received a caller from a resident of an adjacent apartment who heard a pop and smelled smoke. Firefighters arrived to find black smoke coming from the apartment windows.
“It looks like the fire started in the kitchen. It looks likely to be accidental, from a mechanical malfunction, but it’s still under investigation,” he said.
Glinke said that though the apartment where the blaze originated is not habitable, the adjacent apartment and the stairwell area were not damaged by the fire.
He said the residents, who were not home at the time, were able to make temporary living arrangements with the help of the landlord.
Seth Stern
