A Grand Rapids, Michigan cat is being credited for saving the family from a fire that broke out in the home. There was a smoke detector in the home but it wasn’t working because it hadn’t been installed. Two of the family cats were reported missing, including the hero cat. Both have been reunited with the family.
The fire occurred on the 700 block of Coit Avenue Northeast on Thursday morning around 6:10 a.m. According to investigators, the fire started in the kitchen, where smoke was found on both the first and second floor.
Homeowner Frank Doane was on his way to work at the time of the fire. He told news media his wife, two sons and nine pets were home. The family has seven cats, one dog, and a pet rat. All of the pets were accounted for at the time of this article, including the one that jumped on his youngest son to wake him up as well as a Siamese.
That cat as well as a second cat were originally reported as missing but were found Friday uninjured hiding in one of the rooms. The family won’t be able to return to their home for months. Mr. Doane said they’d recently purchased new smoke alarms but hadn’t installed them.
The cat alerting the family probably saved their lives when it woke them up. The fire department would like to remind people in Grand Rapids that a smoke detector will be installed free of charge by calling 311 and setting up an appointment.
Please remember to test smoke detectors several times a year and check to see how long a battery is supposed to last. Many people choose to replace the battery twice a year but some detectors these days come with a 10-year battery.
A few words of caution. Click here for a good article on the dangers of power strips used with electric heaters. The strips can become overheated and melt and cause a fire. Also, any time a fuel source is used inside the home for heating, PLEASE invest in a carbon monoxide detector.
No reports show either of these started the fire but this is information you need to know to keep your family safe.
