Resident injured, cats missing after early morning fire near Crystal Lake

One person suffered minor injuries and two cats are missing after a fire completely gutted a home near Crystal Lake early this morning.

Nunda Rural Fire Protection District firefighters responded to the fire at the single-family, split-level home east of Crystal Lake on the 1800 block of Louise Street just before 4 a.m.

Fire officials said the home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

A single resident inside the home escaped before firefighters arrived but suffered minor injuries. He was transported to a hospital where he was treated and released.

It took more than an hour to bring the fire under control. The house was considered a total loss.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A total of 24 neighboring fire agencies assisted, Nunda fire officials said.