Cat Starts Apartment Fire That Kills Two Other Cats

On Wednesday, a Pennsylvania cat accidentally triggered an apartment fire that killed two other cats in the building. 

After the fire set off the automatic alarm, firefighting crews arrived at the small apartment complex in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, around 4 p.m. They discovered a fire in the kitchen of a ground-floor unit. Apparently the flames were so intense that the surrounding area had to be shut down for over an hour. Several people in the building had to be evacuated. Other than the two cats who perished, no one else was harmed. The cat who started the fire survived. 

The building suffered some interior damage, but once that is fixed, the tenants should reportedly be able to move back inside. All tenants in the four-unit building are currently displaced. The local Red Cross has been assisting the tenants. 

According to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, investigators received a surveillance video from a nanny cam less than 24 hours after the fire that depicted a cat jumping up onto the stove and accidentally turning on the burners. 

“We actually know what the cause of the fire was,” Greensburg Fire Chief Tom Bell said to CBS Pittsburgh. “It was accidental, due to a pet. The cat jumped up on the stove, ignited the stove with the burner, and that's what started the fire.”

Bell mentioned that he’s heard of pets starting fires throughout his career. He emphasizes that it’s important to keep pets away from fire hazards. 

“It was very fortunate that we got to see that and rule it accidental because the proof is in the camera,” Bell said. The video is currently in the hands of investigators and will not be released to the public at this time, per Action News 4. 

While this is very scary situation that might freak some cat parents out, cat behaviorist Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado of Feline Minds stresses that something like this is a very rare instance. If your cat has a history of jumping up on the stove, she recommends childproof locks or an induction range to prevent them from accidentally turning on a burner. 

“As far as keeping your cat off the stove — cats often get on counters and stoves for a few reasons — height, snacks or warmth,” she tells Kinship.

She says the most effective way “to prevent something like this from happening is to to provide them safe outlets for these things elsewhere.” She recommends ”multiple cat trees or shelving, especially nearby (in the kitchen) if they like to ‘manage‘ you while you cook.”

She suggests giving your cat treats when they go to their safe space; this will encourage them to keep returning to that spot. And how do you make the countertop less enticing to them? Delgado says, “Keep counters and the stovetop clean of food and dirty dishes when not in use so your cat is not tempted to go up there to lick plates and pans.”

Another reason cats seek out stoves? They just wanna stay warm. If that’s the case, Delgado recommends a heated bed. (Just make sure you keep them from chewing the bed’s cord and that you use them safely, to prevent another fire hazard.)

“Cats will often just sit in the middle of the stovetop above where the pilot light is,” she adds. “Cats prefer temperatures warmer than humans so a heated bed is a wonderful thing to provide for your cat and most cats love them!”