LAFD Battles Strip Mall Fire; 17 Cats Killed in Boarding Business

By: Hannah Wiley

Source: Los Angeles Times

Several cats were killed in a large fire that broke out early Saturday morning at a strip mall in Culver City with a boarding hotel for pets, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A firefighter who "took ill during the intense firefight" was taken to the hospital "in fair condition for observation," the Fire Department said in a news release. No civilian injuries were reported.

The incident at 9000 W. Venice Blvd. was reported around 5:45 a.m., and firefighters took 73 minutes to contain and extinguish the blaze. A business named Cat Place LA is located in the strip mall.

The "major emergency structure fire" directly involved three businesses in the one-story strip mall, according to the release.

"Heavy smoke impacted at least a half-dozen adjacent businesses, including a feline overnight boarding facility where several cats were rescued, but others sadly perished," the release said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Seventeen cats were killed in the fire and two were rescued and receiving medical care, according to ABC7.

"Cat Place LA is a luxury cage-free hotel exclusively for cats," the business' website says. "Your beloved cat deserves the best treatment while you are out of town."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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