A Freedom, Pa. firefighter was injured Sunday when he fell through a floor at a house fire that claimed a number of exotic cats.
“We went right into emergency defensive mode; pulled him out of there, got him into an ambulance,” Freedom Asst. Chief Mark Forrest told KDKA reporters.
He reportedly suffered a back injury.
Scott said 16 cats perished, including several exotic felines worth up to $12,000. The homeowner was in the breeding business.
“I can’t replace the show cats for less than $600. I can’t replace the breeders for under a thousand,” she told reporters. “But that’s not really what they’re worth, you know, the companionship and everything else is gone.”
Firefighters believe those felines may have knocked over a heater which then ignited nearby materials.
An oxygen tank also exploded while crews were battling the fire.
