Cat Helps Save Residents From Fire In McKeesport Home
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McKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) --- A fire official says a cat came to the rescue, and potentially saved the lives of two people, during a fire in McKeesport early Friday morning.
Firefighters were called to the home on Lamont Street around 1:30 a.m. A sticker on the front window of the home states, "In case of fire or emergency, please rescue pets inside!"
However, in this case, it was the family cat that rescued its owners.
"Fortunately, both were in bed at the time, and the cat actually alerted them. The cat came flying into the room. They thought that was unusual and they opened the bathroom door and found the fire," said McKeesport Deputy Fire Chief Tom Perciavalle.
Firefighters said the two people who live in the home got out right away.
"Another hour or two hours, the fire would have gained some momentum and they probably wouldn't have awakened through it. So fortunately they'd just gone to bed and the cat came," said Perciavalle.
"I got woken up because they were knocking on the door. I come out. They said I gotta get out. So I got my daughter and my grandson then I went back in and got all the animals out," said neighbor Al Ackerman.
Fortunately, the fire didn't spread to Ackerman's home. Firefighters believe it started in the attic then spread to the bathroom. The home suffered significant smoke and water damage upstairs.
"We found no smoke alarms in the house. Fortunately, the cat was on top of its game there," said Perciavalle.