Fire Department Saves Cat from Kitchen Fire

The Westport Fire Department saved a cat today from a home where a kitchen fire began spontaneously in a plastic garbage can, said Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury.

The department responded to the home on Tamarac Road around 3 p.m. to find smoke coming from the first and second floors of the expanded Cape Cod style house.

The homeowner, whom had just arrived home, told firefighters that the house was evacuated with the exception of a cat still inside.  Fire department personnel quickly located the source of the smoke, an incipient fire burning in the kitchen, and extinguished it. At the same time, firefighters searched the building to confirm all occupants were out and located the cat in a second-floor bedroom. The cat was unharmed and safely returned to its owner.

The fire, which started in a plastic garbage can after an oily rag was thrown away, was determined to be accidental in nature by the Westport Fire Marshal's Office, Kingsbury said in a news release.   The Fire Department reminds residents to dispose of oily rags properly, placing them outside in a metal garbage can or allowing them to air dry outdoors before disposing.  The department also asks residents to read precautionary statements on product labels or to contact the Fire Department with any questions.  Additionally, the Westport Fire Department strongly urges all residents to have working smoke detectors in their homes.

The Westport Fire Department responded to this incident with it's entire on-duty shift: 4 Engines, a Ladder Truck, and a Shift Commander.  The last fire department unit cleared the scene at 4:24 p.m.