Officials believe elusive cat escaped fire

YOUNGSTOWN — No one was home, except the family cat, when fire started Thursday at 52 Wesley Ave. on the West Side, said Battalion Chief Frank Rosa. He said the alarm came in at 11:22 a.m. and firefighters were on the scene at 11:25 a.m. The fire was mostly confined to the living room and caused considerable damage, Rosa said. He said a preliminary estimate of the damage is $5,000 to the structure and $5,000 to the contents. Firefighters heard the cat in the basement but couldn’t find it. Rosa said the animal was probably hiding from all the strangers and will eventually show up.