Pet-related house fires are on the rise in Seoul, South Korea, CNN reported.
South Korean officials have warned that cats have caused 107 fires since January 2019 through November 2021, People reported.
The Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Department released the statement in December, making it known that the feline fire starters were a danger after cats jumped up on electric stoves and turned on the appliances by accidentally pressing their buttons, CNN reported.
Electric stoves can get overheated and cause fires if left unattended for long periods of time, CNN reported.
"Cat-related fires are continuing to occur recently," Chung Gyo-chul, a Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Department official, said in a statement obtained by CNN. "We advise households with pets to pay extra attention as fire could spread widely when no one is at home."
Officials said to make sure flammable objects like paper towels, rags, and other items should not be left near the stove so they do not spread, People reported.
Most of the cat-caused catastrophes happened when the owners were out of their homes, Business Insider reported.
The feline fires of South Korea are not isolated to that country as household pets like dogs and cats are also setting properties ablaze here in America as well. The National Fire Protection Association says pets are responsible for over 1,000 house fires each year, Business Insider reported.
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