Utah Firefighters Rescue Cat After 72 Hours in 220-Unit Apartment Blaze

Q: While Toast's rescue made headlines, what is being done to find the other missing animals trapped in the ruins?

Rescuers are still searching the ruins, but only when conditions are safe enough to enter. Salt Lake County Animal Services said its officers worked alongside firefighters for hours during and after the North Union Apartments fire, trying to remove pets from the building, reunite them with owners, and provide temporary shelter for displaced animals. Toast’s rescue was presented by officials as proof that the search is ongoing even days after the blaze. Animal Services said firefighters and pet officers “never stop searching,” and that effort continues for the small number of animals still unaccounted for after most pets were eventually reunited with their families. At the same time, authorities are supporting surviving animals and their owners. Salt Lake County Animal Services has been collecting donated supplies, including large wire crates, unopened dog and cat food, and dog beds, for families and pets affected by the fire. The agency is also accepting monetary donations to help care for displaced animals. So while there is no indication of a separate large-scale animal recovery operation beyond the fire response itself, the practical response is continuing on two tracks: repeated searches of accessible parts of the damaged building with first responders, and temporary care and aid for pets that have already been found.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 5

Toast was found alive in a closet more than 72 hours after a four-alarm fire gutted the North Union Apartments in Midvale, and he was reunited with his owner about an hour later.
Fire officials said the cat survived after the roof collapsed by sheltering in one of the few parts of the apartment left standing, enduring smoke and hundreds of thousands of gallons of water.
The blaze began around 8 a.m. Friday at the 220 occupied units and likely stemmed from a mechanical issue; firefighters needed more than 60 hours to fully extinguish it.
Hundreds of residents were displaced, more than 40 families moved into temporary Airbnb housing through a United Way partnership, and it remains unclear when tenants can return.