Three Occupants Safe, Two Cats Die in Middletown Fire

Firefighters battled a fire at an East Main Road home in Middletown early Saturday morning in icy conditions.

Three people in the house got out safely and are being assisted by the American Red Cross. Two cats did not make it out and died.

Middletown Fire Chief Ron Doire said that the fire appears to have started in the kitchen and was accidental in nature.

Doire said that the residents were using the kitchen stove to heat the house.

The house, located at 969 East Main Road, suffered serious damage from the smoke, flames and water.

Members of the Portsmouth and Navy fire departments provided mutual aid as Middletown firefighters battled the blaze.

The one-and-a-half story, 1,583 square foot house was built in 1910, according to town records. It is owned by Chaves Realty Co.

Doire told WPRI that people need to remember that using a stove to heat a home is extremely dangerous

“Stove are made for cooking food and not made for heating homes,” he said “When people use them for unintended purposes it starts a fire.”

Photo Courtesy: Walter Belonos (Twitter: @WalterBelonos)