PB&D? Peanut butter loving dog apparently starts a minor fire

Jul. 15—VERNON TOWNSHIP — A pet dog apparently wanting a jar of peanut butter started a minor fire Friday morning, according to Chief Donie Grinnell of Vernon Central Volunteer Fire Department.

There was only some smoke damage and no injuries in the 9:27 a.m. fire at an apartment building located in the 11000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, Grinnell said.

The four-unit apartment building is located in the Kerrtown section of the township, just west of the Mercer Street Bridge that connects Vernon Township with Meadville

Firefighters were called after smoke was spotted coming from one of the four apartments in the building, he said.

The apartment was unoccupied as the woman living in the apartment has been out of town, Grinnell said.

The woman's son checked the apartment Thursday as the woman's dog has remained in the apartment, he said. The woman's son didn't anything unusual during Thursday's check of the apartment, Grinnell said.

The fire was confined to a metal sheet pan on top of the stove in the kitchen of the apartment, he said.

A plastic jar of peanut butter seated on the sheet pan had melted, causing the small smoky fire, he said.

One of the burners of the stove top somehow turned on, causing the pan to heat up, resulting in the plastic jar of peanut butter melting, he said.

"The theory is the dog was trying to get to the peanut butter and bumped the burner on," Grinnell said.

All occupants of two other apartments in the building got out safely, he said. The fourth apartment in the building is vacant as it is undergoing renovations, Grinnell said.

Vernon Central Volunteer Fire Department was assisted at the scene by Meadville Central Fire Department and Meadville Area Ambulance Service. Firemen returned to quarters at 10:15 a.m. Friday.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.