Firefighters rescue pets from fire after camera system alerts homeowner
GNADENHUTTEN – An in-home camera system might have saved a house and the pets inside from a Wednesday morning fire near Gnaddenhutten.
Arrowhead Joint Fire District Chief Steven Wright says the homeowner received a notification on their cell phone from their camera system. She saw smoke and flames, and heard the smoke detector going off in the video and called 9-1-1.
Wright says firefighters were on scene minutes later around 9:45 a.m. in the 10000 block of Petry Hill Road Southwest in Clay Township. He says they encountered heavy smoke, low visibility, and a fire spreading from the kitchen. Firefighters rescued two dogs. The family cat was found after the fire was extinguished.
He says the animals survived with minor smoke inhalation. The quick response limited fire damage to inside the kitchen, with heat and smoke damage throughout.
Wright says the homeowners are insured and are being helped by the Red Cross and relatives. He says the cause of the fire is accidental, but an investigation is ongoing.
ARROWHEAD JOINT FIRE DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 9:39 AM Arrowhead Joint Fire District Firefighters were dispatched to a Residential Fire at Petry Hill RD SW in Clay Township. Firefighters responded at 9:42 and arrived on the scene 7 minutes later to find smoke coming out of the single-story residence.
The homeowner(s) reported the fire after receiving a motion notification from their in-home camera system. When the homeowners checked the video footage they noticed smoke in the home, they could hear the smoke alarm sounding and could flames on the camera.
The homeowners were not home at the time of the fire but reported two dogs and a cat were still inside the home.
On arrival, Firefighters made entry into the residence, encountering heavy smoke, low visibility, and a fire in the kitchen area spreading to the living room.
Firefighters located the two dogs and removed them to the outside.
Firefighters then worked to quickly extinguish the fire and confine it to the kitchen area of the home. Smoke and heat damage were noted throughout the first floor of the residence.
The family cat was located after the fire was extinguished.
All the animals survived with only minor smoke inhalation. It took firefighters about 10 minutes to completely extinguish the fire.
Firefighters then worked for two hours to extinguish hot spots and ventilate the smoke from the residence.
The damage was limited at this fire due to the homeowner’s attentiveness to their home camera system and early notification of the fire department.
The residence is insured. A damage estimate will be determined by the homeowner’s insurance company.
No civilians or firefighters were injured in the fire.
An investigation into the cause and origin of the Fire is ongoing with the Arrowhead Joint Fire District.
A preliminary investigation has determined the cause of the fire to be accidental.
The family is being assisted by the Red Cross and other family members.
Arrowhead Firefighters were assisted at the scene by the Warwick Township Volunteer Fire Department and Delaware Valley Joint Fire District.
“We wish to thank our mutual aid partners for their quick response and assistance in bringing the fire under control.” “Firefighters would like to remind residents that spring is a time to check and replace your smoke detector batteries.”