Resident Burned, 30 Pets Die in Fire

A house fire caused by a burning cigarette on a couch left a man seriously injured and more than 30 pets dead, authorities said Wednesday.

The occupant, a 62-year-old man, was treated and released from Providence St. Joseph Medical Center after suffering second-degree burns to his face and upper body, said Burbank Fire Marshal Darryl Forbes.

Found dead Tuesday night inside the house were 20 cats, two dogs and about 10 guinea pigs--most of them killed by smoke inhalation, he said.

“There were maybe two cats that got out. All the rest perished,” Forbes said. “They were in the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen, they were all over the place. It’s not a pleasing sight. It’s just something you deal with.”

Though it was not yet clear whether the man owned the animals himself, their number far exceeds the legal limit, said Fred DeLange, superintendent of the Burbank Animal Shelter.

“With four or more animals, you have to have a kennel permit, and in Burbank we do not issue kennel permits in a private residence,” he said. “It has to be a commercial zone. So he’s definitely in violation of the law.”

Firefighters responded to an 8:22 p.m. call Tuesday to find heavy smoke pouring from the house at 256 W. Valencia Ave. It took them about 15 minutes to extinguish the fire, which caused $120,000 damage, Forbes said.