RACINE - Firefighters battled and eventually extinguished a midday house fire at 1017 Marquette St. Sunday.

Everyone in the family got out safely, but the fire was stubborn for Racine firefighters, who called for more help from the Caledonia Fire Department.

The fire was discovered about 12:15 p.m. Sunday by DeArro McClinton, 18, one of six residents of the house. McClinton said he had candles burning, went to the second floor for about 10 minutes, and came back downstairs to find that the candles had ignited some clothing hanging nearby. It had also ignited a sofa.

McClinton said his father, Roy McClinton, grabbed and pulled the burning sofa into the street, but the fire had already spread elsewhere, including into the ceiling separating the two floors.

Roy and DeArro McClinton fought the fire with pillows and a fire extinguisher before giving up and leaving, said the boy, a Horlick High School student.

Two pet cats were in the house at the time, the McClintons said. One was rescued, given oxygen and survived. The other perished in the fire, officials said.

Racine Fire Department officials said they had the fire out in about an hour. They estimated total damage to the structure and contents at $35,000.

One firefighter was taken to Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints hospital, 3801 Spring St., for treatment of heat exhaustion after working inside the house to douse the fire. He was later released.

Sherrie Lawson of 1018 Marquette St. said there have been five or six fires just in that block in the past few years. She complained that firefighter response time is not as rapid since the closure of the fire station at Marquette Street and Douglas Avenue. That station was closed for budgetary reasons.