Cat Saved in Sea Bright Fire Tuesday Morning

Sea Bright, NJ - A cat found unconscious and not breathing in a burning Sea Bright townhouse early Tuesday morning was brought back to life after multiple rounds of CPR and the use of a pet oxygen mask.

Early Tuesday morning, volunteer members of Sea Bright Fire and Rescue were dispatched to a townhouse on fire. The fire was on the second floor of a three-story townhouse in the middle of a row of townhouses, officials said. The home's occupants had gotten out, but told firefighters their cat, Felix, was still inside somewhere.

While firefighters worked to keep the blaze from spreading, they also searched for the cat. Felix was found — unresponsive — in a third-floor bedroom by a Rumson firefighter. He was rushed out of the home, where firefighter Joe Eskridge and firefighter/EMT Dan Drogin performed multiple rounds of CPR on the animal.

Drogin also used the new pet O2 masks that had recently been donated to the department. These are masks that have been specially designed to deliver oxygen to cats and dogs. After using the mask, and several rounds of CPR, Felix was brought back to life, the department said.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Sea Bright Fire Marshals Office. Fire companies from Monmouth Beach, Rumson, Little Silver, Fair Haven, and Community Fire in Middletown also responded.