Two cats killed in house fire in Shropshire hamlet

Two cats died in a house fire in a Shropshire hamlet near the Welsh border.

English and Welsh fire crews were called to a fire in a one-storey property in Shelve, near Minsterley and the Stiperstones, just before 2am on Saturday (May 23). Police and ambulance service personnel also attended.

The crews from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service were able to extinguish the fire and all human occupants were safely accounted for, but two cats could not be saved.

An SFRS spokesperson said: “The service was called to reports of a house fire in Minsterley, at around 2am on Saturday. Crews from Bishop’s Castle, Minsterley and the Mid and West Wales area attended and wore six breathing apparatus to tackle the fire, supported by one covering jet and two hose reel jets.

“Firefighters worked alongside colleagues from the ambulance service and police to deal with the incident but unfortunately, despite the best efforts of crews, two cats were unable to be saved, and our sympathies are with the owners.”

Crews wearing six breathing apparatus sets worked to bring the blaze under control using two hosereel jets, a covering jet and thermal imaging cameras to locate hotspots and ensure the fire was fully extinguished.