Surveillance footage shows a cat jumping onto a stove in Dallas County and accidentally turning on a burner, igniting items on the cooktop and starting a kitchen fire. Garland Fire Department crews extinguished the blaze Wednesday after it spread to nearby appliances, the kitchen door and the ceiling, while the rest of the home remained unharmed. Officials urged residents to keep combustibles off stovetops, never leave cooking unattended and consider using stove knob covers to prevent accidental activation.
Cat Caught on Camera Turning On Stove, Sparking Kitchen Fire in Dallas County
A cat started a fire that caused severe damage to a kitchen in Dallas County, Texas, this week after it was able to turn on the stove, officials said.(Fox News)
A cat started a fire that severely damaged a kitchen in Dallas County, Texas, after surveillance footage shows it jumping onto a stove and inadvertently turning on a burner, the Garland Fire Department said.
In the video, the cat quickly jumps off the stove after turning on a burner, which ignited the items sitting on top.
The Garland Fire Department responded Wednesday and quickly extinguished the blaze. Investigators reviewed home security video showing the cat leap onto the cooktop, activate a burner and ignite combustible items that had been left on the stove. The cat immediately jumped off the stove after the burner activated.
A picture of the kitchen after the fire showed it had spread to other appliances, the kitchen door and the ceiling before firefighters were able to put it out.
Photographs taken after the fire show damage to nearby appliances, the kitchen door and the ceiling before crews brought the incident under control. Officials said the remainder of the home was not damaged.
Fire Department Advice
The department urged residents to keep combustible materials such as paper towels and plastic containers off stovetops, always turn off burners and ovens, never leave cooking unattended and keep cooking areas free of clutter. Officials also recommended installing stove knob covers to prevent accidental activation.
“Even when a stove or cooktop is not actively in use, residual heat or accidental activation can quickly ignite nearby combustible items. A few seconds of prevention can stop a fire from starting,” the department said in its release.
Households with pets should consider additional precautions—such as using knob covers, stove guards or keeping pets out of the kitchen—to reduce the risk of accidental activation.
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