Ginger cat desperately escapes second-floor inferno started by ex-boyfriend

It is alleged that the former boyfriend of the tenant of this apartment set it alight while intoxicated. The apartment became an inferno and I will presume that the tenant's ginger cat had to escape under desperate circumstances. You will see in the video the cat being forced to make a decision that they did not want to make which was to jump from the second floor. The cat waited as long as possible and was singed. You will see his or her back smoking and black. It is unpleasant. The cat jumps into a crowd below and his fall was broken, I believe, by one of their number. The cat appears to have avoided serious harm but probably suffered from smoke inhalation and the heat may have damaged his heart. It is known that firefighters can suffer from heart disease prematurely because they are constantly working in very high temperatures. Also of course the smoke inhalation may leave this cat with some permanent damage. As far as we know there are no other injuries such as breakages.

Ginger tabby jumped from burning apartment. Photo: NYCACC.

The man who started the fire is allegedly Willie Manning, aged 61. He has been charged with burglary, arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal contempt. Apparently and allegedly he has had 30 arrests before according to the New York Post. He is being treated in hospital and was found unconscious either inside or outside the flat, the report is unclear.

The police were able to enter the apartment so I suspect that they saw him there and brought him out. The video that you see on this page was captured apparently by Aaron Ganaway. Seven people including two police officers were injured apparently by the blaze. It happened in Harlem, New York. We will see the cat clambering down the side of the building to get as low as possible to the ground before leaping. Three officers below clapped their hands and encouraged the cat to jump. The cat was taken to the Animal Care Centres of New York City where it was reported that he was in pretty good shape according to NBC.

Screenshot.

Comment: The moral of the story: it appears to be a domestic dispute in which the companion animal of the victim suffered. Companion animals are often victims as well as one of the partners in domestic disputes for the obvious reason that the man in a male-female partnership uses the cat companion of the female as leverage in an emotional war. It is very effective and it stops women leaving the family home because she is unable to find a place for her companion animal at a refuge. This is changing as refugees for victims of domestic violence are opening their doors to companion animals as well although, as I understand it, many still don't.

Uncomfortably, for me, in many house fires, the cats not infrequently die in the fire while their owner escapes. I've noticed this. The obvious reason is that in a fire people panic and understandably so. But I wish they were able to have the presence of mind to quickly find their cat and bring them with them to the outside. No doubt cats hide when a fire starts and become almost invisible but I still believe more could be done to save cats in house fires. Some of the best photographs are of firefighters rescuing domestic cats from a burning house and then giving them oxygen in a specially manufactured animal device.