Villa Park firefighters rescue pet tarantula while battling house fire

Villa Park firefighters were able to rescue a family’s pet tarantula from an early morning house fire Thursday.

Fire officials believe the blaze began in the basement of the one-story single-family home on the 400 block of North Iowa Avenue.

The residents and the family’s other pets were all outside when firefighters arrived just before 5:30 a.m. However, family members notified firefighters that “Bitsy,” the family’s tarantula, was still inside the house.

The arachnid was located and reunited with the family. It was reportedly doing “fine,” fire officials said.

The fire rendered the house uninhabitable. No damage estimate was available.

The American Red Cross assisted the residents find temporary housing elsewhere, fire officials said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.