A fast-moving fire at about 11:30 a.m. today destroyed three attached houses in Summit Hill.

Although nobody was injured in the blaze, several cats perished.The fire happened in the 100 block of East McMurtrie Street.When firefighters arrived on the scene, flames were billowing from the bottom floor in the front of all three residences.Responding were firefighters from Summit Hill, Lansford, Mahoning Township, Coaldale, Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe. The Lehighton Ambulance and Mahoning Valley Ambulance were also at the scene.Chief of Police Joseph Fittos said one residence was occupied by the James Smith family. Smith has announced his candidacy for state representative, running for the seat currently occupied by Jerry Knowles.The resident of the home on the other side, Vince Pavlik, reported the fire.None of the residents reportedly were home at the time.Firefighters pulled a cat from the Smith home, and several people, including ambulance crew members and Franklin Klock of the Carbon County Environmental Center, tried unsuccessfully to revive it. Then two more cats were taken out of the house. One cat was saved.Flames were evident on all three floors of the building, but the heaviest fire appeared to be on the first floor.The firefighters were directed at the scene by Summit Hill Fire Chief Shawn Hoben.