Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, and seven cats were rescued, including five kittens, after a fire tore through a single-family home in South Kingstown, R.I. Saturday morning, the Union Fire District of South Kingstown said.
Firefighters responded to 120 Meadow Tree Farm Rd. after a neighbor called 911 to report the fire at about 11:10 a.m., the Union Fire District of South Kingstown said in a statement. When they arrived, they encountered heavy smoke and flames in the exterior of the home.
Three residents escaped from the home and were not injured, the fire statement said.
Firefighters attacked the flames but were hampered by the lack of hydrants in the area, the statement said. The Union Fire District called the regional Tanker Task Force to the scene.
Other departments responded to provide mutual aid, including the Kingston Fire District, North Kingstown Fire Department, Narragansett Fire Department, and the Charlestown Fire District, the statement said. The Richmond-Carolina Fire District, Exeter Fire Department and Hope Valley Fire District also responded to the scene.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, the statement said. One was treated at the scene and the other was taken to Kent Hospital in Warwick as a precaution.
Firefighters tried to rescue eight cats, three adults and five kittens, the statement said. One adult cat did not survive, but another adult and the five kittens were taken to Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in East Greenwich for observation.
One adult cat stayed at the scene, the statement said.
The home sustained serious fire and smoke damage and was deemed uninhabitable, the statement said. The displaced residents were offered assistance by the American Red Cross.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the statement said.
Union Fire District Chief Steven Pinch said in the statement that the weather made it challenging to fight the blaze.
“This was a hot day to gear up and enter a burning home, and we had a hard time getting water to the scene,” he said.
“My thoughts are with our two injured firefighters,” Pinch said. “I’d like to thank the departments that responded to this scene; it was an incredible mutual aid response. The coordinated support helped us all to avoid additional injuries.”
.
Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com.