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Pets die in blaze at Staffordshire cattery Pets die in blaze at Staffordshire cattery
(about 2 hours later)
Some cats have died in a fire at a cattery in Staffordshire. Up to 15 cats have died and some others have escaped following a fire at a cattery in Staffordshire.
Up to 30 firefighters were called to Pinetrees Cattery in Huntington, north of Cannock, after the alarm was raised at about 05:30 GMT. About 30 firefighters were called to Pinetrees Cattery in Huntington, north of Cannock, after the alarm was raised at about 05:30 GMT.
A spokeswoman for the cattery said some cats had escaped but some had died. No staff were injured. Fire chiefs said they believed 20 cats had been housed at the Stafford Road site at the time. No cattery staff members were injured.
A Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said the fire broke out in one of the site's buildings at Stafford Road. It is thought two or three cats that escaped have fled into nearby woods.
The spokesman added that two cats were taken away by a vet. A further two cats have been taken to a vet suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.
"The cattery owners will be contacting the animals' owners in due course," he added. Earlier the A34 was partially blocked in both directions but has since reopened.
Earlier the A34 was partially blocked in both directions north of Cannock but is now running as normal. "The cattery owners will be contacting the animals' owners in due course," a fire service spokesman added.
Two fire engines remain at the scene.
An investigation has started to establish how the fire started, although it is thought the cause was accidental.
Owners' 'devastation'
Phil McFarlane, from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the blaze had initially "engulfed" the building and added that tackling the fire had been difficult because of the number of cats being looked after at the site.
He said he believed the escaped cats had "bolted" into nearby Cannock Chase. It is not yet known exactly how many have escaped.
Mr McFarlane added: "We're right on the edge of Cannock Chase, which is quite a rural, wooded area.
"From my 30 years experience, when any animal that is trapped by fire manages to escape, they tend to do so with immense vigour and tend to leave the scene.
"Owners are starting to return and there is devastation around trying to [work out] which cats have survived."