Police blame fireworks for causing a fire, in which a cat takes “nine lives leap of faith” from two-story inferno, but dog dies and humans injured

Las Vegas Police blame fireworks for a two-story inferno, which injured four humans, including a firefighter, and killed one dog, causing 50 people to loose their home.

A daring cat looked to the roof at first and decided she could not go up due to the flames.  She then looked to the side and then down to the ground.  Other humans encouraged her to jump and she made the “leap of nine lives faith”, surviving the jump to safety.  The dog, who did not take a leap, was not so lucky and perished in the fire, while firefighters battled the flames.

Those recording the feat are yelling, encouraging the cat to jump to safety. ‘Jump, baby, jump!’ one man yells hoarsely.
With one powerful leap, the cat kicks out from the balcony and flails before falling to the ground below.
According to KLAS-TV, the cat was unhurt.

Three humans and a firefighter did not escape without injury, but they did survive.  Gregory Sutton, who helped save his mother and his pregnant girlfriend, suffered a third degree burn on the back of his shoulder, but stated that his health was the last thing on his mind.  His girlfriend is due to give birth next week.

Sutton said the horror of what might have been will haunt him.

"Every time I close my eyes I think about the fire," he said.

Lateasa Rodgers, with her family already struggling from the economy, was devastated as she watched her home burn and cried she could not think.

"I can't even think," she said, crying. "That feeling you get, when you're so destroyed inside, it hurts."

She said her family was already struggling economically.

"This is devastating," she said.

Fire Chief Bertral Washington stated, “It serves as a costly reminder to us of just how dangerous fireworks can be.”

8 News NOW  (video on site)

One person on YouTube grabbed the scene where the cat jumped from the fire.

The Red Cross will help all 50 residents, but no mention if cat will also receive help while her family finds a new home that accepts pets.

KSNV said that the fire caused $1.5 million in damage, which took nearly 70 firefighters two hours to put out the flames.

Mriana

Mriana is a humanist and the author of "A Source of Misery". She has two grown sons and raises cats. She enjoys writing, reading, science, philosophy, psychology, and other subjects. Mriana is also an animal lover, who cares for their welfare as living beings, who are part of the earth. She is a huge Star Trek fan in a little body.

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