Fire damages Cedar Rapids home; occupants safe

A fire in southeast Cedar Rapids early Monday killed a cat and left residents displaced, authorities said.

Firefighters were called to the home at 934 26th St. SE shortly after midnight when one of the home's occupants heard a smoke alarm sounding in the basement.

Fire officials say a laundry room in the basement was on fire. A water main also broke in the basement, causing extensive water damage.

The fire reportedly started near the home's hot water heater. The home's occupants, Eugene Hansen, 60, and his stepson Casey Hanson, 38, were both home at the time of the fire, but escaped without injury. Three cats also escaped, including two cats rescued by firefighters.

Another of the family's cats was in the basement and died in the blaze, fire officials said.

An official cause has not been determined. Fire Department spokesman Greg Buelow said the occupants were using foam sealant to repair cracks in a basement wall earlier in the evening. He said water was seeping onto the floor by the water heater, and investigators were considering those factors.

The family was assisted by the Grant Wood Chapter of the American Red Cross.

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