(P.A.) Fire leaves 6 New Kensington residents, their pets homeless

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A lit candle knocked over by cats is being blamed for a fire that left six New Kensington residents and their pets homeless Friday afternoon. Valerie Sinchak’s resided in the home. She said
someone went downstairs to make food after lighting the candle (in a third-floor bedroom), and returned to find flames shooting into the attic.

Fire Chief Ed Saliba said three of the six people living in the house were inside at the time of the blaze at 638 Fifth Ave. in the Parnassus section of the city. Three other people who live in the home were at work at the time of the fire.

Saliba said preliminary reports indicate the fire started in a third-floor bedroom at the rear of the three-story brick house. “It was very quick,” Saliba said. ”Damage was to the third floor, water damage and smoke damage to the second floor and a little bit of water damage to the first floor.”

“If they wouldn’t hadn’t gotten here when they did, everything would have been gone,” Valerie Sinchak said.

The residents have two dogs, five cats and a bearded dragon. The pets reportedly made it out safely.

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