2 cats dead, owner displaced after Rantoul trailer fire

RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — Around 9:02 p.m. Thursday night, the Rantoul Fire Department responded to the scene of a trailer fire.

At 13 Mahoning Drive, firefighters worked into the early hours of the morning to extinguish the flames, clearing the scene around 12:45 a.m., according to Fire Chief Chad Smith.

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The owner wasn’t hurt, but lost two cats in the fire that were unable to be rescued in time. Smith said the trailer was completely destroyed, displacing the owner.

A neighbor we talked to says he tried to help the person save their pets — but there wasn’t enough time.

“That could’ve been me, it could have been my two cats,” Zachary West said.

The homeowner told WCIA he lost everything in the fire except his best friend’s ashes. Neighbors have started a GoFundMe to help the owner of the trailer.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Video courtesy of Dee Christopher McCubbins

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