Forgotten Purse, Barking Dog Result in Two People Saved from Fire

Two men who were in a burning home near Binghamton likely are alive today because a woman left her purse at home and a dog was sounding an alarm.

Town of Chenango resident Brian Hoffman said he and his wife were about to start a trip to Boston last Friday morning. They returned to home to retrieve the purse she'd left behind.

Hoffman said as they were about to head out of town again, they spotted smoke. They then saw heavy fire on the front porch of a house on South Morningside Drive.

While his wife called 911, Hoffman banged on some windows of the home to alert any occupants to the fire. He heard a dog barking and managed to gain entry through a back door.

Hoffman saw a couple of dogs inside and a cat on the second floor. When he went upstairs to retrieve the cat, he noticed two closed bedroom doors.

While holding the cat, he managed to wake up two sleeping men and alert them to the fire.

Speaking on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program Thursday, Hoffman said he and the two residents were able to safely exit the burning house. He said the pets also were OK.

Several fire departments worked to bring the blaze under control. The fire caused heavy damage to the home. No injuries were reported.

The fire apparently was caused by careless smoking.

Firefighters at 23 South Morningside Drive in the town of Chenango on October 1, 2021. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.

For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

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Filed Under: Binghamton Now, fire rescue, house fire, Town of Chenango

Categories: Articles, Local News