Early on July 31 a Utah apartment complex caught fire and burned for 24 hours as firefighters battled the flames.
Residents in all 220 units were displaced with several units believed to be a total loss. One of the residents had to evacuate without his cat who refused to be caught.
As the hours turned into days without word and residents were not allowed to return to the building, hope started to fade that the cat named “Toast Malone” or “Toast” for short survived.
Their apartment was near where the fire started and with the collapsed roof and devastation they feared the worst.
But then a miracle occurred 72 hours after the fire began.
Unified Fire Authority shared on Facebook, “Hidden inside a closet—one of the only spaces left standing in the apartment after the roof collapsed—the resilient cat survived days of smoke, hundreds of thousands of gallons of water being sprayed overhead, and the destruction all around.”
Toast was alive and aside from being wet and scared, unharmed. He was reunited with his grateful owners who could not thank everyone enough for saving their precious cat.
They even posted in the comments on the post writing, “Ryder and I are immensely grateful for your team. We were absolutely devastated and it still feels like a dream! Could not thank you enough.”
It took a team to rescue and reunite Toast with his family including brave firefighters and Salt Lake County Animal Services who shared the reunion video. Grab a tissue and watch as Toast’s owners cry tears of joy as they see their beloved cat for the first time.
“It was an emotional reunion that reminded everyone why we never stop searching,” they wrote. “Toast’s story is also an opportunity to recognize the incredible work of our Animal Services Officers. For the past four days, they have worked side by side with firefighters and other first responders, helping rescue animals, reunite families, provide temporary care for displaced pets, and stand ready whenever it was safe to enter.”
