WILTON, Iowa — When Gary Stouffer noticed the barn behind his house was on fire, all he could think about was saving his pet cat that he kept in a room inside.

But by the time Stouffer tried to reach the barn, it was too late.

The cat, named Slinky, was killed in an afternoon fire on Friday, Dec. 26, that wiped out the barn on the Stouffer property, 1071 Taylor Ave., in rural Wilton. Gary was burned when he approached the blazing building.

Gary, 56, began to cry Wednesday at the thought of how Slinky had died.

His wife, Judy Stouffer, spoke on his behalf.

“He didn’t actually get in the barn, he was quite a ways away,” she said, but the flames reached her husband and caused second-degree burns to much of his right side including his head, back and hand.

He was taken by Durant Ambulance to Genesis East in Davenport. From there he was sent to the burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

“He had just gotten over pneumonia, so his immune system was compromised. That’s why he was sent there,” Judy, 56, said.

Gary is in pain, but is doing better, Judy said.

Slinky was kept in a room inside the barn because he would sometimes fight with the other cats on the property. The couple ran a small electrical heater in the barn to keep him warm.

The family believes it was the heater that started the fire.

Gary Devore of the Wilton Fire Department said the fire is still under investigation and would not comment on the possible cause of the blaze.

The fire department was called to the scene around           2:15 p.m. and there was little firefighters could do to save the barn. “It was on the ground when we got there,” Devore said.

On Tuesday, the remains of the barn where lumber and tools were kept, still smoldered. Devore said the pile was smoldering because there was a lot of hay in the barn.

The Stouffers, who’ve lived on the property for five years, haven’t decided if they will rebuild the barn, but said the property is covered by                insurance.

Reporter contact information

Melissa Regennitter: 563-262-0526

mregennitter@muscatinejournal.com