Cat Causes Apartment Fire in Greensburg, Shutting Down Street

Surveillance video captures cat jumping onto stove, igniting burners and sparking blaze

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A cat in Greensburg, Pennsylvania accidentally started an apartment fire on Wednesday afternoon, forcing the temporary closure of a busy street as firefighters battled the blaze. Surveillance footage showed the cat jumping onto the stove and turning on the burners, which ignited the kitchen and caused heavy smoke conditions. The fire was contained to the kitchen, but two cats perished in the incident. No injuries to people were reported, though several residents had to evacuate the building. The kitchen will need to be gutted, but the building is not a total loss, and residents are expected to return once the smoke clears in a few days.

Why it matters

Pets starting fires is an uncommon but serious issue, as this incident highlights. The fire shut down a busy street during rush hour, causing traffic disruptions, and resulted in the tragic loss of two cats. This case emphasizes the importance of pet owners taking precautions to prevent such accidents, like keeping animals out of the kitchen.

The details

Surveillance video from inside the apartment showed the cat jumping up onto the stove and accidentally turning on the burners, which then ignited a fire in the kitchen. Firefighters were called to the scene around 4 PM and had to temporarily shut down East Pittsburgh Street to battle the blaze. The fire was contained to the kitchen, but two cats died in the incident. No injuries to people were reported, though several residents had to evacuate the building. The kitchen will need to be completely gutted, but the building itself is not a total loss.

  • The fire was reported around 4 PM on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.
  • Firefighters were able to contain the blaze within about an hour.

The players

Greensburg Fire Department

The local fire department that responded to and extinguished the apartment fire.

Tom Bell

The Greensburg Fire Chief, who stated this was the first time he had personally witnessed a pet causing a fire.

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What they’re saying

“That's the first time I've ever witnessed a cat jump up on the stove, ignite the stove with the burner, and that's what started the fire.”

— Tom Bell, Greensburg Fire Chief (wtae.com)

What’s next

Investigators stated they will not be releasing the surveillance video footage at this time, citing the need to protect the privacy of the homeowners and for ongoing insurance purposes.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder for pet owners to take precautions to prevent their animals from accidentally starting fires, such as keeping them out of the kitchen and away from stoves and other potential fire hazards in the home.