MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — A house fire in Gaithersburg early Sunday morning resulted in the tragic death of a cat and left a family displaced. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the blaze around 4:20 a.m. in the 600 block of West Side Drive, where people were reported trapped inside.
First responders rescued a man and two women from the second floor of the home. Residents stated that they were alerted to the fire by their cat, which persistently pawed at them while they slept. Upon waking, they noticed smoke and flames, prompting them to remain in the master bedroom when escape seemed impossible.
A resident in the basement managed to exit the home, retrieve a painter’s ladder, and position it by a window for the others to use as an escape route. Unfortunately, during the escape, the cat jumped from the arms of one of the residents back into the room and succumbed to smoke inhalation.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among the human occupants. The family has been displaced due to the fire.
