Firefighters Rescue Four Cats in California Apartment Blaze
March 25, 2026
Amidst the chaos of an apartment fire in Jurupa Valley, California, firefighters demonstrated remarkable efforts to save lives, regardless of their size.
CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department
When a fire erupted in a building on Emma Street, members of the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department quickly responded. During their search of the property, they encountered an unexpected challenge.
Four cats were discovered in a fire-damaged unit, with three appearing lifeless.
“When I looked under the bed, I found the first one,” stated Engineer Ray Guillen. “As soon as I went to grab it, it fell over. So, I knew something was wrong.”
The animals were swiftly taken outside. There, the scene turned into a rescue effort akin to an emergency room intervention.
Firefighters, assisted by a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy, initiated CPR, including chest compressions and even mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Deputy Adam Maldonado explained, “We started CPR, started giving them chest compressions. I know from holding my cats that their hearts beat pretty fast. So, I knew it needed to be pretty deep and pretty fast.”
With oxygen tanks at hand, the team worked diligently. They were determined not to give up.
“We just treated it like we would treat a pediatric patient that was unresponsive and not breathing,” said Firefighter Salvador de La Cruz. “It’s small, press hard and press fast and breathe into them.”
Their persistence paid off.
After several tense moments, there was a sign of life. The cats began to regain consciousness, opening their eyes and moving their bodies.
With the help of water and care from the responders, the cats eventually started walking around, much to the relief of everyone involved.
For both Maldonado and de La Cruz, the incident was more than just a rescue mission. It was about recognizing the deep connections people have with their pets.
“They treat them like their kids,” de La Cruz remarked. “We just couldn’t leave them there.”
