Toast the Cat Is Found Alive More Than Three Days After an Apartment Fire

Toast had been missing inside the North Union Apartments in Midvale, Utah, for more than three days when fire crews found the orange and white cat alive. He was wet, cold and frightened, but local reporting said he appeared otherwise healthy before being reunited with his family.

A search inside a building too dangerous to enter

The apartment fire was reported on the morning of July 31. Initial coverage from KSL said the large complex contained 220 occupied units and that residents were evacuated as crews battled the flames. The damage left parts of the structure unstable, limiting when people could safely go back inside.

Toast's family knew he had not made it out with them. They kept checking with firefighters rather than attempting to enter the damaged building themselves. More than 72 hours after the fire began, crews searching the remains reached a closet below one of the few roof sections still intact.

The small pocket that gave Toast shelter

According to The Guardian's account, the closet sat beneath a surviving piece of roof. That detail offers the clearest explanation for how Toast avoided the worst of the collapse and exposure, although nobody can know exactly where he moved during the fire or the days that followed.

The discovery was not presented as a sign that pets can usually survive for days in burned buildings. Fire scenes can contain unstable floors, sharp debris, toxic residue and hidden hot spots. The safe choice for an owner is to give firefighters a pet's description, likely hiding places and apartment location, then follow their instructions.

A reunion after an uncertain wait

Local station FOX 13 Utah reported that Toast was returned to his family after the rescue. Images from the reunion showed him alert inside a carrier. The family also faced the larger disruption shared by residents of a major apartment fire: displacement, damaged belongings and uncertainty about what could be recovered.

Toast's survival depended on an unusually protected space and on trained crews being able to continue the search. The story also echoes another Buddylio report about a rescue dog alerting her owner to a house fire: in both cases, a fast moving emergency left people relying on responders and the limited information available in the moment.

What is confirmed

• The fire began July 31 at the North Union Apartments in Midvale.
• Toast remained missing for more than 72 hours.
• Firefighters located him in a closet under a surviving section of roof.
• He was wet, cold and scared, but was reported to be otherwise healthy and reunited with his family.

How we reported this: Buddylio reviewed the named sources, checked the organizations and figures shown above, and added context for animal lovers. Any illustration is labeled and does not depict the actual animals or scene. Articles are editorial content, not veterinary advice.