Pet parrot alerts Pa. residents to fire

By Elizabeth Evans
The York Dispatch

YORK CITY, Pa. — A pet parrot might have saved the lives of its owners when it alerted them to a house fire, York City Fire Chief Steve Buffington said.

The residents collected the parrot and fled outside to safety, but the parrot did not survive, he said.

"Birds are very susceptible to smoke or any contamination in the air, plus stress," Buffington said.

York City firefighters were called to 833 S. Beaver St. about 1:50 a.m. Thursday, he said.

"The parrot woke them up," he said. "It started squawking and alerted the residents to the fire, because there were no smoke detectors in the home."

Residents Henry L. Grissom and Frederick White escaped injury, but are temporarily displaced until repairs can be made, the chief said.

Damage to the home was set at $50,000, he said.

"The fire started in a trash can on the exterior of the home," Buffington said. "We're ruling (the cause) undetermined at this point in time because we can't say conclusively whether it was accidental or a deliberate act."

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