An apartment fire Saturday at 1132 N. Third St. claimed the lives of several cats, the Springfield Fire Department said.

The fire broke out in the downstairs unit of the three-unit building about 1:15 p.m. The woman who lived in the downstairs apartment had about 24 cats.

Fire department officials said two or three cats definitely survived, and an undetermined number probably escaped from the fire. Some of the cats perished in the blaze.

The fire was contained to the downstairs unit, but the other two units sustained smoke damage.

The American Red Cross was called to the scene to help the first-floor occupant and a man who lived in a second apartment. The third apartment was vacant.

Fire officials did not have a dollar estimate of the damage but said it appeared the building could be repaired.

As of Saturday, a cause of the fire had not been determined.