By ADRIAN SAINZ
Associated Press Writer

A house fire Tuesday killed 14 cats, but fire crews used specially designed oxygen masks for the animals to rescue six other pets from dying in the smoke of the Memphis-area blaze.

Fire crews responded to the home in the Lakeland neighborhood at about 10 a.m. and put out the fire in about 18 minutes, Shelby County Fire Department spokesman Brent Perkins said.

Two firefighters were taken to a hospital to be monitored for heat exhaustion, but they were expected to recover fully, Perkins said.

Firefighters found 19 cats and a dog in varying states of distress at the home. Teams of firefighters used oxygen masks to resuscitate five cats and the dog.

The masks were donated by a local businessman and were installed on Shelby County fire vehicles 1 1/2 years ago.

"Watching those cats wake up was really amazing," Perkins said. "I'm glad we had the equipment on board."

A couple who live in the home were not there at the time of the fire. Neighbors told Perkins they rescue stray pets, feed them, neuter or spay them, and care for them until they're adopted.

"What could have been the ultimate tragedy for them ended up being a bittersweet reunion when they found that they didn't lose all their pets," Perkins said.

The house suffered moderate to heavy damage. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Fire crews were credited with quickly applying the masks to the pets in the first time the equipment was used by the department.

"The firefighters took on such a caring disposition ... realizing that they still had lives in their hands," Perkins said.

After arriving home, the couple took their surviving pets _ all but one _ to a family veterinarian.

One of the resuscitated cats didn't stick around.

"He woke up and split," Perkins said.

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