Fire Damages Chestnut Street Residence in Oneonta [PHOTO]

A fire has severely damaged a residence at 348 Chestnut St. in the city of Oneonta.

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene around 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning to battle the working structure fire.

The fire started as a result of cardboard boxes being too close to a stove a resident was using. Two men driving by in separate cars saw the fire and a 90-year-old woman inside.

That woman, Betty Clark, was trying to rescue her pets -- a dog and two cats. The dog perished and the cats were missing and are presumed dead. Clark was taken to the hospital for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation.

The house is not a total loss, according to Oneonta Fire Chief Patrick Pidgeon. He believes it can be repaired, although it is currently uninhabitable.

Oneonta was assisted by fire departments from Franklin, Worcester, Sidney and Laurens.