GREENFIELD — The state fire marshal is warning against the improper disposal of cigarettes following a house fire on High Street Saturday that displaced four tenants.
According to fire marshal spokeswoman Jennifer Mieth, the fire at 29 High St. appears to have been caused by improper disposal of smoking material, though no official cause has been announced. The fire caused extensive damage to the High Street house.
“We’re starting to see a lot of fires like this,” Mieth said. “It’s important to have a proper way of disposing of cigarettes.”
Mieth said the smoking material was on a porch on the second floor of the apartment.
The fire happened around 2 p.m., causing extensive fire and smoke damage to the second floor where the fire originated, Fire Chief Robert Strahan said. Water damage occurred on the first floor, he said.
Fire departments from Orange, Northfield, Turners Falls, South Deerfield and Shelburne responded due to the building’s nearness to other structures. Strahan said the fire was quickly knocked down.
No one was injured, Strahan said, but one cat was injured and required first aid at the scene and transportation to an area veterinary hospital. A dog was also rescued from the building.
According to Strahan, the building was uninhabitable as of Monday.
Four residents lived in the apartments, according to Strahan. None were in the building when the fire happened.
The apartment remained vacant of residents Monday afternoon. A person in a white jumpsuit was seen removing a variety of materials from the apartment and placing them in and around a large dumpster in the driveway.
Strahan said during a search of the apartment by firefighters, a cat was found unconscious. He said firefighters removed the cat from the apartment and provided first aid, including oxygen, before police transported the animal to the South Deerfield Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital.
A representative from the hospital was contacted Monday, but was not allowed to provide any information.
Strahan said his firefighters have received specialized training and equipment for animal first aid in situations like this.