Fire broke out Wednesday night at the Angles of Assisi office in Southwest Roanoke but it was quickly contained.

Crews were called to the office in the 400 block of Campbell Avenue about 11 p.m., according to Roanoke Fire-EMS Chief David Hoback.

Hoback said the flames were contained within about 10 minutes and was isolated to the rear of the building. A clothes drier was believed to be the source of the blaze he said, and no foul play was suspected.

"There was more smoke than fire," Hoback said.

Dozens and dozens of cats were evacuated from the building, with their cages stacked in the parking lot while firemen examined the interior of both the upper and lower levels of the building. A few cats got loose from the cages, but none was injured or killed in the fire.

Hoback said no crew members were injured in the fire, but some minor bites and scratches were incurred when crew members retrieved the loose cats.

Bobbie Patterson, a veterinarian assistant at the office, lives two blocks away from the building and ran to the scene in her sock feet.

"It looks like we got them all out," Patterson said. She explained that the office had taken on nearly 90 cats from an incident in Giles County just two weeks earlier.

Hoback said the facility also contained a number of dogs, but they were in the basement and isolated from the blaze. Crews were using fans to ventilate smoke away from their area and most did not have to be moved. 

Angels of Assisi is an animal welfare organization.