A house cat is being blamed for starting a fire on Saturday that caused about $200,000 worth of damage to a Boston home over the weekend while the homeowners were on vacation, the Boston Herald reported.
Chelmsford Fire Capt. Hank Houle said one of the owner’s three cats is the most likely culprit. He determined the fire started when the cat knocked over a heat lamp next to a lizard tank.
“A lot of fires are caused by things like that, defective equipment or accidents. I’ve had incidents of rabbits or squirrels chewing through electrical wire and starting fires,” Capt. Houle said. “It’s kind of crazy, but it’s not that farfetched.”
Firefighters were able to quickly put out the fire and save most of the family pets, including a dog, three cats and a guinea pig, the Herald reported. The lizards have not been found, Capt Houle said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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