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Farmington Hills Police Saves Man's Cat From Apartment Fire

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (PATCH) — Just weeks before Christmas, Farmington Hills resident Scott Sinischo lost nearly everything in an apartment fire.

Pearl, Owner Scott Sinischo, Officer Timothy Sjostrom
Pearl with owner Scott Sinischo and Police Officer Timothy Sjostrom. (Photo courtesy of Sgt. Larry Fetherolf)

His apartment was left charred, covered in soot and smoke. His two cats perished in the fire. Sinischo had lost everything.

That is, until a Farmington Hills Firefighter went an extra step to recover Sinischo's life. What he was able to recover was even more valuable than Sinischo could have imagined: one of his cats was still alive inside the burned down home.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, about 40,000 pets die in residential fires each year, mostly from smoke inhalation. While people often believe that animals run out during a house fire, the vast majority hide someplace they consider safe instead of escaping during the emergency.

Sinischo's first cat, Ludwig, was unable to make it in the fire, authorities said. But his second cat, Pearl, was rescued by Police Officer Timothy Sjostrom, who re-entered the apartment in a final effort to locate Pearl just in case she had gone into hiding.

It turned out his hunch was correct; Pearl was under the bed in the back bedroom covered in ashes, disoriented, and suffering from smoke inhalation.

For the complete story, visit here.

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