PITTSTON — One cat died in a fire that started on a porch and spread inside a home Thursday afternoon, officials say.
Pittston City Fire Chief Jim Rooney said his department is treating the blaze as an accident due to careless smoking.
When volunteers arrived at 31 Carroll St. about 1 p.m., Rooney said they knew they would need help.
“There was heavy fire when the guys rolled up. They immediately called for a second fire crew,” Rooney said. “In the daytime, sometimes it’s tough to get people out, but we had extra crews here from multiple municipalities so we could extinguish the fire and keep the guys safe.”
The fire started on the porch on the left side of the double-block residence, Rooney said. Flames then spread through the window and into the first-floor living area. Rooney said the right side of the home was unoccupied; the two people who lived on the left side were not hurt.
The residents’ dog also escaped the flames without injury. But two of their three cats had to be pulled from the home and treated with pet oxygen masks by Exeter EMS.
“We’ll try and see what we can do,” said Exeter rescuer Frank Evarts while the cats received medical treatment. “The other one was just overheated a bit. I think this one took too much smoke.”
Evarts was correct — that cat ended up dying. Meanwhile, a third cat initially unaccounted for later ran into the street from the home’s backyard.
Neighbor Erica Zielinski could see the blaze from her home one street over.
“It was nothing but black smoke,” Zielinski said. “Black smoke and I knew she had a dog. I wanted to make sure the dog was out. Thank God they’re OK.”
Firefighters from Pittston Township, Jenkins Township and Avoca also responded, along with EMS services from Exeter, Hughestown and Plains Township.
