A New Kensington cat rescue, Frankie's Friends Cat Rescue, faced a scare over the weekend when an outdoor planter caught fire. The small blaze, which occurred yesterday, resulted in some damage to the facility, according to a report from CBS News Pittsburgh.
While nobody was in the building at the time, the fire, which kicked off around 5:20 p.m., was swiftly handled by a local business owner spotted by a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher. Toriano "Tido" Wilson, owner of Tido's Corner, managed to extinguish the flames before the fire department and emergency services arrived on the scene, much to the relief of the non-profit's team and the cats in their care. The origin of the fire was thought to be either a carelessly discarded cigarette or spontaneous combustion, as noted by Fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. in statements detailed by TribLIVE.
Extensive damage to the building was prevented thanks to Wilson's quick response. "We were very fortunate," said Saliba, as reported by TribLIVE, demonstrating that the situation could have resulted in far graver consequences had the fire gone unnoticed for longer. Thanks to the local community's prompt actions, no injuries were reported, and all animals housed at Frankie's Friends were confirmed to be unharmed.
