A HOBARTVILLE family cat is believed to have saved the lives of the occupants of its house after it alerted them to a fire in the roof.
Richmond Fire and Rescue were called to the home at 10pm on Saturday after there were reports the roof in the hallway was on fire.
It was believed to have been caused by a ceiling light transformer which was compacted with insulation and leaves over time.
Firefighters evacuated the two people in the home and worked to extinguish the fire.
The residents told firefighters they were in the loungeroom when the cat walked in front of them and started making noises.
They said the cat was looking at the roof and was trying to grab their attention.
Richmond fire station captain James Rowland said downlights could hold a large amount of heat and transfer it to any objects they are in contact with — in this case roofing insulation.
‘‘Typically, downlights are supplied with a metal cage that sits over the top of your downlight in the roof,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s a good idea to keep checking downlights on a regular basis, during home maintenance work.’’
