More than 60 cats die in fire at Calif. sanctuary

ATWATER, Calif. – Authorities say a fire at a California animal sanctuary killed more than 60 cats.

Fire officials responded to the blaze at Last Hope Cat Kingdom in Atwater around 1 a.m. Friday.

State fire spokesman Jose Quintana says the fire, caused by some sort of an electrical failure, was under control about two hours later.

But by then, more than 60 of the nearly 140 cats housed there had died. Last Hope Cat Kingdom founder Renate Schmitz tells the Merced Sun-Star they will be cremated at a pet cemetery.

Some of the others are now being treated for smoke inhalation at an animal medical center.

Schmitz says the cats could have escaped through doors in each of the sanctuary's rooms. She plans to rebuild the facility, which had been open for four years.

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Information from: Merced Sun-Star, http://www.mercedsun-star.com