Madison resident reacts after apartment fire displaces family, kills pet

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – A Madison woman and her family were displaced and are mourning the loss of their pet after a fire ripped through their northside apartment Sunday.

Amber Zbella says she and her two kids are staying at an area motel thanks to funding from American Red Cross. The Madison Fire Department deemed their unit inhabitable after the Sunday fire.

No one was home when the fire started in their unit at around 10 a.m., but the family lost one of their cats, and the other is fighting for its life.

“I completely broke down as soon as he mentioned my cat,” she said. She somehow got herself into my linen closet and got trapped.”

Zbella posted an update to her situation on Facebook and while she didn’t ask for anything specifically, several community members have offered to bring them food and supplies.

“Yeah, I have been getting so much support from the community.” They seem to be very empathetic towards situations when it involves children and pets. So I really feel very supported in the Dane County group.”

According to MFD, numerous 911 calls were made Sunday morning when residents of the apartment noticed a burning smell and smoke alarms sounding from one of the units. Residents reported black smoke in the first floor hallways. They also reported smoke coming out of a vent.

First responding crews reportedly noticed heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building. Officials say everyone evacuated safely and the building was ventilated.

MFD says the fire was extinguished in 15 minutes. The estimated damage is around $100,000.

Zbella says she and her family were supposed to move out this month but must stay while the investigation continues. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

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