NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A cat may be the cause of a fire that forced a woman to flee her home on Saturday night and lose four of her five pets.

 

The occupant of the small home at 1561 Massachusetts Ave. called 911 to report a fire on her kitchen stove at about 9:10 p.m.

 

"Looked like the fire started in the kitchen area. Best guess at this point is that it an animal turned the stove on," said Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre, repeating what the woman had reported. 

 

"Basically, the occupant was alerted to the sound of the stove igniting, the electronic ignition. She came downstairs and witnessed the cat on the stove. Unfortunately, there was a box on top of the stove, and that lit, and that got the cabinets going."

 

One cat was saved but firefighters were unable to rescue two other cats and two dogs. 

 

The chief said he hadn't completed his investigation but was going by what the resident had reported at this point. 

 

Firefighters were able to swiftly douse the blaze on arrival and were rolling up hose about an hour later. Mass Ave was closed at Ashton Avenue on the city side.