Volunteers have raised over $43,000 for a local cat rescue after a fire destroyed the Silverton home that ran the organization, leaving 30 cats dead.
A GoFundMe page said the volunteers were seeking $50,000 to help the residents “pick up the pieces of their home” and rebuild the nonprofit Silverton Cat Rescue so it can continue to operate long-term.
The organization typically takes in cats from Silverton and the Salem area, according to its Facebook page.
Volunteers said they are also in need of gift cards to buy new food for the foster animals.
The fire occurred at 650 Lone Oaks Lp., which was occupied at the time and was a total loss, the Silverton Fire District said in a statement following the fire.
Crews responded around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7 and discovered at least 30% of the “very large residential home” was engulfed in the fire, the district said. It took crews several hours to fully extinguish the fire
The two residents, who were home at the fire, evacuated quickly and were not injured.
The district estimated the fire caused $700,000 in damages. The home was fully insured, and the American Red Cross provided housing, clothing and food for the residents.
The agency said one of the residents ran the cat rescue out of the home, and 30 cats died as a result of smoke and heat.
Investigators determined the fire was “accidental/not suspicious and was electrical related,” according to the statement.
Fire crews in total responded with seven fire engines, two water tenders and over 32 firefighters.
Ten cats survived the fire, the GoFundMe page said.
People can find information about cats available for adoption on Silverton Cat Rescue’s Facebook page.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
