The combination of a pig’s heat lamp and excess hay caused a house fire at around 8:30 p.m. Sunday evening at 141 West Lane in Brady Township, according to Andy Hoehn, a lieutenant with Unionville Volunteer Fire Company.

Hoehn said the family living in the house made it out safely, but a cat died in the blaze. Just after 8:20 p.m., the family, who kept a pig by their porch, discovered a fire — fueled by hay — had ignited near the heat lamp.

“What they told us is they gave their pig some fresh hay … He got some hay up there and close enough to the heat lamp” to catch fire, Hoehn said. “From what we can tell by looking at it, that's what happened.”

The house was about a half-mile down a single-lane road, the lieutenant said, and firefighters found “a good amount of fire,” when they arrived at the scene.

Hoehn said it took about 45 minutes to get the fire under control with the cooperation of multiple fire departments that helped supply water and manpower to the emergency scene.

Firefighters were on the scene for more than three hours, and the house is now unlivable. Hoehn said the Red Cross is assisting the family.

In addition to Unionville, Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company, Prospect Volunteer Fire Department, West Sunbury VFD, Harrisville VFC, Marion Township VFC and Butler Township Volunteer Fire District responded to the scene.