by Elizabeth Ruiz and Bill O'Neil
Eight cats are dead, but San Antonio firefighters were able to rescue a dozen pets from the flames of a burning home in the city's East Side.
The blaze erupted around 11 a.m. Friday at a home on Chateu Drive in a neighborhood near IH 35 and AT&T Center Parkway.
One woman was home when the fire erupted, but she managed to escape with no serious injuries and the other occupant was at work.
Eight cats perished in the blaze, but Christian Bove with the San Antonio Fire Department told 550 KTSA News that firefighters rescued several pets.
"Two dogs are doing okay and our firefighters were able to treat 10 cats with special oxygen masks," said Bove.
He says every firetruck is equipped with the the specialized oxygen masks.
"They're small cone-shaped masks and they really can make the difference between life and death when it comes to our dogs and cats," said Bove.
The surviving cats are getting additonal treatment at Animal Care Services.
