CLEVELAND, Ohio — Four people and three dogs escaped a house fire on Cleveland’s East Side on Monday morning, authorities said.

The blaze in the 11300 block of Whitmore Avenue caused more than $200,000 in damage, much of it to the second and third floors.

Fire officials said working smoke alarms alerted the residents to the incident, which was reported at 7:24 a.m.

Officials said several cats died in the fire. Authorities said an electrical issue sparked it. Lt. Michael Norman, a spokesman for Cleveland’s fire department, said residents installed the smoke alarms in the past few weeks.

Officials fear the city is heading toward its worst season for fires, as people tend to use more space heaters and overload electrical circuits during the winter months.

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