Although no humans were harmed, a 5-month-old kitten perished in a house fire Wednesday morning on South Whidbey.

Firefighters responded to the Holmes View Drive address in the Baby Island Heights neighborhood around 8:52 a.m. on Dec. 11, according to South Whidbey Fire/EMS. Those first on scene reported seeing flames and smoke coming from the back of a double wide manufactured home.

Two of the three residents were not at home during the time of the fire, and the third was able to escape without injury, Assistant Chief Terry Ney said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation but is believed to be electrical in nature because of its point of origin.

According to Clinton resident Beth McQueen, her uncle Matt Kieke was asleep at the time of the fire and saved by the heroic efforts of neighbor Timothy Nettlebeck, who noticed the fire while taking out the trash and went into the burning building. McQueen’s parents, Mike and Krystal Kieke, also lived at the home, which is a total loss.

Unfortunately, the family lost one of their cats, named Rhea, to the blaze. Though the house is still standing, Ney said, it’s uninhabitable and the residents lost most of their possessions. McQueen said her parents had land insurance and mistakenly thought it covered the structure and the things inside, which is not the case.

McQueen grew up in the home, which is of 1974 vintage and valued at $20,558 by the Island County Assessor’s Office. South Whidbey Fire/EMS responded to the conflagration with three engines, two water tenders, two aid vehicles, a light and air unit and three chief officers. Firefighters were on scene for approximately two and a half hours and were assisted by WhidbeyHealth EMS, the Island County Sheriff’s Office and the Langley Police Department.

Ney said all three residents received aid from the Red Cross. McQueen has started a GoFundMe for her parents and uncle, which can be found on the website by searching “Help Mike, Krystal & Matt After House Fire.”