Firefighter saves unconscious cat from Kirkdale warehouse blaze

The cat was found covered in melted plastic and with burns on its legs

A firefighter who rescued a cat covered in melted plastic bags from a large warehouse blaze has been praised by the RSPCA.

Crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue were called to a waste disposal site on Foster Street, Kirkdale, on 6 October.

While tackling the blaze, firefighter Stuart Watterson spotted the unconscious feline and cut it free.

An RSPCA officer then rushed the cat, which was later named Smokie, to Alder Veterinary Hospital for treatment.

Smokie was later transferred to RSPCA Salford to continue recuperating ahead of being adopted.

Smokie is expected to make a full recovery

The firefighter said he saw Smokie while moving a burnt waste shredder with his colleagues.

"She was curled up on the outside of the shredder which was still really hot," he said.

"She had burns on her legs and bits of the melted plastic were stuck to her."

He managed to rescue the animal by cutting away at the plastic bags to free it and, as he was about to go off duty, was about to rush to the hospital when he was told the RSPCA had attended the fire.

Animal Welfare Officer Matthew Brown, who took Smokie for treatment, said the cat "breathing but quite unwell and there were obvious burn marks on her body".

"Bits of plastic from the fire had melted on to her and her whiskers had been scorched off.

"It really is remarkable she survived - the quick-thinking actions of the firefighter certainly saved her."

Mr Watterson said fighting the blaze, which saw 10 engines called to the warehouse, was "a big job and Smokie had obviously been in the middle of the fire".

"It's brilliant to hear that she's made a full recovery," he added.

The fire service said the blaze, which took was 56 hours to bring under control, was believed to have started accidentally and added that no-one was injured.