Firefighters found Toast the cat alive after 72 hours

A cat named Toast Malone survived 72 hours inside a burned Utah apartment complex, tucked in one of the only closets left standing after the roof collapsed. The fire began early on July 31 and burned for 24 hours, displacing residents across all 220 units and destroying several. Toast's owner had to evacuate without him. The cat refused to be caught, which is the kind of decision that looks worse by the hour. His apartment sat near where the fire started, and with hundreds of thousands of gallons of water sprayed overhead, hope faded. Then firefighters found him, wet and scared and otherwise unharmed. Salt Lake County Animal Services shared the reunion video. "Ryder and I are immensely grateful for your team," the owners wrote. "We were absolutely devastated and it still feels like a dream." Officers had worked alongside firefighters for four days, ready to go in the moment it was safe.