EAST SPENCER — Tragedy struck an East Spencer alderman late Sunday evening when flames consumed his home. No person was injured, but it is believed that John Noble III lost his cat Buddy in the fire.

Area fire departments responded to reports of a structure fire in the 200 block of Hall Street in East Spencer shortly before 10:30 p.m.

On Monday, Noble said he was making a quick run to the store when the fire broke out.

“I wasn’t at home when the fire happened,” Noble said. “I had gone to the store. I had only been gone for 15 minutes, and I was coming down the street and thought that it looked like my house was on fire. Lo and behold, it was my house.”

East Spencer Fire Chief Shawn McBride said that the investigation revealed that it was an electrical fire that started the blaze.

Noble does not have any family that lives with him, but a friend who was at the house was inside when the fire started. That person was able to get out of the home uninjured.

“He was standing in the yard when I got back,” Noble said.

Noble believes that his cat was not so fortunate.

“I don’t think my cat made it out,” Noble said. “Buddy was the cat’s name. That was my pet. I loved that cat.”

At one point, the home was fully involved in the fire. While fire crews from various departments were able to extinguish the blaze, Noble said it appeared to be a total loss.

For now, the East Spencer official is staying in a motel.

“The insurance is helping me with that,” Noble said. “We will see what they say moving forward.”