Dog turns on stove and starts fire at home
By Madeline Bartos
Click here for updates on this story
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A dog trying to grab a plate of food accidentally turned on the stove, starting a fire at a home in Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood on Tuesday, officials said.
The fire broke out at the home on Conover Road near Hastings Street around 7 a.m., Pittsburgh Public Safety said.
Firefighters responded to the scene and rescued a dog from the home. Medics took the dog to an emergency veterinary clinic for smoke inhalation. Officials didn’t give an update on its condition.
Investigators learned the fire started when the dog tried to reach food placed on top of the stove and accidentally turned on a burner.
No one was home at the time, Public Safety said. But the kitchen sustained significant damage and other areas of the home were affected by the heat and smoke. The resident made arrangements to live somewhere else.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, pets or wild animals start about 750 home fires a year. That includes pets turning on stoves and knocking over candles, but also critters like chipmunks and squirrels chewing through electrical wiring.
The Red Cross recommends removing stove knobs or protecting them with covers before leaving the house. A stove or cooktop is the number one piece of equipment involved in pets starting fires, the organization says.
Pets are also curious and will try to investigate cooking appliances, candles or even fireplaces. Make sure not to leave pets unattended around open flames and make sure to extinguish everything before leaving your house, the Red Cross says.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.