2 people critically injured, some pets dead in house fire on Chicago's South Side

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two people were critically injured, and some pets died in a house fire Tuesday morning in the Gage Park neighborhood.

Chicago firefighters responded to a fire around 10:30 a.m. in the 5200 block of South Rockwell Street. Fire Department officials said hoarding conditions inside the two-story home hampered efforts to put out the fire.

Two people, a male and a female, were taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. Their ages were not immediately available.

Fire Department officials said several cats were also pulled out of the fire. Firefighters were able to revive several cats using oxygen masks for pets, but some pets pulled out of the fire died from smoke inhalation.

Neighbor Manny Delgado said one of the victims came out in his shorts as the fire was still burning, but then went back inside.

"I said, 'What are you going back in for?' I don't know. Maybe to try to save the kitties. They have like 20 kitties in there," he said. "The other lady didn't make it out either. She was, like, burned."

The cause of the fire was under investigation.