Gainesville Fire Rescue crews from Stations 1 and 3 extinguished a house fire early Tuesday morning, avoiding a downed power line and saving two kittens.  

According to a press release, crews responded to the house fire (701 NE 20th Street) at 2 a.m. and found 75% of the home already consumed. The Station 3 crew stopped the fire from spreading to nearby houses, just 12 feet away, while the Station 1 crew established a water supply and searched the home.  

“Firefighters were hindered in their actions by a downed powerline that had detached from the home and was laying on the ground, creating a significant safety hazard,” the press release said. “Crews had to avoid the live powerline in the dark while working around the home until GRU could secure the power to the pole.” 

Because of the extent of the fire, the responders decided to use a “vent enter search” technique, entering through a window to search a room cut off from the house by the fire. The press release noted that this technique presents a high risk to firefighters because they’re entering an unknown situation with around zero visibility. 

No one was injured during the response, and no one was found inside the home. The crews found the two kittens during the search and transported them to the animal hospital.  

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Hillhouse reminded citizens to be aware of home fire hazards and safety practices.