Heroes: Firefighters Revive 4 Cats After Apartment Fire

March 25, 2026

In the middle of a devastating apartment fire, a small miracle unfolded—one that proved just how far first responders will go to save a life… no matter how small.

CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department

When flames tore through an apartment building on Emma Street in Jurupa Valley, California, firefighters with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department were already working quickly to contain the blaze. But during a search of one of the fire-damaged units, they made a discovery that shifted their mission in an instant.

Hidden inside were four cats.

Three of them weren’t moving.

“When I looked under the bed, I found the first one,” Engineer Ray Guillen recalled. “As soon as I went to grab it, it fell over. So, I knew something was wrong.”

The cats were rushed outside immediately. What followed was an all-hands-on-deck effort that looked more like an emergency room than a fire scene.

Firefighters and a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy sprang into action—performing CPR, giving chest compressions, and even mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

“We started CPR, started giving them chest compressions,” Deputy Adam Maldonado said. “I know from holding my cats that their hearts beat pretty fast. So, I knew it needed to be pretty deep and pretty fast.”

Oxygen tanks were brought in. One by one, the team worked tirelessly, refusing to give up.

“We just treated it like we would treat a pediatric patient that was unresponsive and not breathing,” Firefighter Salvador de La Cruz explained. “It's small, press hard and press fast and breathe into them.”

Then came the moment everyone was hoping for.

After several tense minutes, the cats began to stir.

Their eyes opened. Their bodies moved. Slowly but surely, each one came back to life.

With a little water and a lot of care, the once-lifeless cats were soon up and walking around—alive because a group of determined first responders refused to walk away.

For Maldonado and de La Cruz, the rescue was personal. Both know the bond people share with their pets.

“They treat them like their kids,” de La Cruz said. “We just couldn't leave them there.”