Family forced to flee after cat sets fire to Canberra home
A mother and child have been forced to flee a Canberra house after their family cat set the kitchen on fire.
The pair were woken by the smoke alarm before sunrise on Tuesday morning and quickly evacuated their home in Richardson in Canberra’s south.
"I saw smoke and I absolutely panicked because my three-year-old was asleep and it was so thick," Ms Rhodes told the ABC. "You couldn't see through it at all."
Shortly after their arrival, firefighters discovered the cause — the family’s cat Belle.
The black feline had knocked a roll of plastic wrap onto the touch-sensitive stove, sending the kitchen up in smoke.
Ms Rhodes explained that stovetop was designed to heat up when something was placed on its surface.
Fortunately the damage was fairly minimal but the close call promoted ACT Fire and Rescue to urge residents to lock stovetop sensors and switches and to make sure their fire alarms are fully functional.
No-one was harmed in the blaze, and the family said they still loved Belle.
"I honestly just laughed, that's all you can do," Ms Rhodes said.
With AAP
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