Palatine firefighters rescue four pets from burning home

A cat, a dog and two birds were rescued by Palatine firefighters during a fire overnight Tuesday that left a home uninhabitable, authorities said.

The Palatine Fire Department received a report at 12:04 a.m. of a fire on the 1000 block of North Smith Street and firefighters arrived four minutes later to find fire showing from the side of the two-story, single-family home.

A resident was home and fled the building because it was filled with smoke, Deputy Chief Patrick Gratzianna said. Firefighters conducted a primary search to make sure there were no people inside, then went back in to rescue the pets after being told about them by the resident, he said.

The fire was declared under control at 12:29 a.m., and there were no injuries to residents or firefighters. The home was left uninhabitable due to smoke damage, displacing four people, according to the fire department.

A damage estimate was not available Tuesday, and the fire remains under investigation.

The Palatine Fire Department reminds everyone to have working smoke detectors in their homes and have an escape plan in case of fire. Residents should not delay exiting the building to search for pets or belongings.