POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A fire that broke out at an apartment in Pompano Beach left a woman’s dog and nine of her cats dead, as well as other pets injured.
Neimys Elfourani said she was working when the blaze ignited, Sunday.
“There was a fire in my home. [Most] of my animals perished, only [one of] the dogs survived,” she said in a cellphone video.
“And some of the cats,” said a woman recording the video.
Elfourani, a nurse, said she received a call while at work.
“I was called by police to come back home, which I did, and when I came home, they were resuscitating some of my animals,” she said.
Cellphone video captured veterinarians at an animal hospital in Aventura working to save Monty, one of Elfourani’s dogs, from cardiac arrest. They were unable to save him.
Wizard, Elfourani’s other dog, is in critical condition, veterinarians said.
“Right now, the only thing that really matters to her is the animals, and we’re trying desperately to save her remaining dog, who is clinging to life,” said Gina Vlased with Saving Sage Rescue.
Nine of the cats that Elfourani owns all died in the fire.
“It’s just a lot of loss for her. They tried really hard,” said Vlased.
Elfourani also fostered several cats for Saving Sage. Arwen and her four kittens had been saved from a hoarder house, also in Pompano Beach, a few months ago. The felines are in critical condition at several animal hospitals across South Florida.
7News cameras captured the fire marshal at the apartment complex on Tuesday. Officials said they deem the fire to be suspicious.
Vlased said Elfourani has received help from the community to help pay for the surviving animals’ medical care.
“The community and Facebook came together, and we were able to miraculously pay tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills,” said Vlased.
Elfourani’s apartment has been declared a total loss.
“I am in so much pain, and Wizard is the only dog that I have remaining, to save him. I try not to think about losing him,” she said, “but thank you so much for everyone who has donated for my animals to be saved. Thank you so much.”
Tuesday afternoon, a cat that had gone missing after the fire sparked was found alive and healthy by a good Samaritan. The feline was hiding inside the charred unit.
Area resident Nicole Dupras said she saw a post on Facebook about the missing cat, so she went over to the apartment.
“I live around the corner. I left work, and I came here,” she said, “and I decided to look into the house, and I saw her on top of the fridge, so I’m very happy,” she said.
Elfourani said she has a surveillance camera inside of her unit, and she hopes the video will pinpoint what happened moments before the fire started. She has handed the footage over to the fire marshal.
As of Tuesday night, close to $20,000 in vet bills has been paid.
A GoFundMePage has been created to help with veterinary expenses for the surviving pets, which continue to climb. If you would like to make a donation, click here.
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