Posted on 05/09/2006 8:30:59 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
How Kipper the catfish burnt the house down
By Simon de Bruxelles
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| Kipper proved an all-too-apt name for the catfish thought to have started the fire by splashing water from his aquarium onto sockets below. The creature perished in the flames (Stanley Rushall/BNPS) |
A CATFISH called Kipper is being blamed for starting a fire that destroyed his owner’s home. Kipper might have been an 8in (20cm) slippery customer, but was an unlikely suspect as a potential arsonist. Nonetheless Sharron Killahena, the fish’s owner, is sure that he was the culprit.
Dripping water led to a short circuit that caused a power surge. That, in turn, melted the lid of the fish tank. Burning plastic dripped on to a sofa that caught fire, setting off a smoke alarm.
The alarm woke Miss Killahena, 25, her two children Nicole, 6, and Kerry, 2, and their landlord, Simon Justice, giving them all time to escape. All four were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.
Afterwards Miss Killahenna said that Kipper was a notoriously belligerent fish and often fought with other occupants of her 5ft aquarium.
She suspects that the fish’s antics caused water to splash on to a power socket, starting the chain of events that led to the fire.
Miss Killahena, from Poole, Dorset, said: “We have big fish in the tank — oscars, which are up to 10in long. One of the oscars and the catfish tend playfully to fight each other.
“In the past when they have done this they have moved rocks in the tank because of the waves they create. Water has managed to get through the lid and on to the floor.
“Sadly it looks like that has happened here. But the water got on to the plugs below, caused the light to malfunction and started the fire.
“Absolutely everything is ruined and the sitting room is gutted. The rest of the house is completely blackened by the smoke. You work so hard to get things perfect and then something like this happens.”
The fish were not as fortunate as the human beings. Heat from the blaze caused the tank to shatter and Kipper, four oscars and one suckerfish came flooding out. Although the water quenched some of the flames, the fish did not survive. Miss Killahenna added: “It’s a shame to lose them because they were really beautiful.”
In the wild, catfish are scavengers, feeding best in warm weather at night — which could explain Kipper’s frisky behaviour.
The family are now staying with her mother Linda, 51, who lives near by.
A spokesman for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service confimed that its investigations were centred on the fish tank. He said: “The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation.
“The suspected cause is a malfunction of the fish tank lighting unit, but the investigation may reveal whether or not the fish had anything to do with it.”
He looks just like catfish after I grill them... where is the sauce no need to waste ol Kipper.
I had an Oscar fish that I could see being a potential arsonist. I had to put a brick on the hood of the tank after finding him on the floor a couple of times.
No wonder he was upset -- he had an identity crisis. Kippers are herring, not catfish.
I say it was the owner's fault for ticking him off.
C'mere and hold muh beer.....
You know, he could at least have had the decency to leap into a pot of batter first.
Britain, as virtually all of Europe, uses 220 to 240 volts for household power. That is more dangerous than the US standard of 120 volts in the event of accidents like this.
What medication do you recommend for his treatment?:)
A good lemon pepper marinade. I think Kroger has a pretty tasty house brand on sale.
Oscar fish?
Do you still have all of your fingers? My friend had such a monster. Mean creatures. It would be fitting for an Oscar to wear a tatoo and have a cigarette hanging from it's mouth.
What medication do you recommend for his treatment?:)
______________--
An excellent question.
As a fish doctor (MDP) I have treated far worse. Fish have been known to revive from severe trauma. I recall one such critter that learned to swim with just its gills.
You can find a trememdous array of treatments at your local tropical fish store. The one I recommend is a combination of tetracyclene and fish oil. For just a few quid the original lustre can be restored. Sadly, he may never swim again.
Father Fish
Thanks for your advice.:)
I had two Oscars that outgrew the tank in 3 months. Meanest most aggressive fish I ever saw. They put pit bulls to shame.
I don't like to speak eel of the dead, but Kipper's not off the hook; a disaster of this scale means the homeowner's in for a roughy time ahead.
Apparently, he is charred to crisp. The owner may put him on Ebay. Who knows? His charred body could net some serious rebuilding cash.:)
Wouldn't Old Bay be more appropriate in this case? LOL.
It's just that Oscars have a very simple view of the World. There is Oscar, and everything else is food for Oscar. And I do mean everything else.
Mine jumped out of the tank once as my dog was walking through the room. I didn't think much of it until it happened another time again as my dog was walking through the room.
It occured to me that Oscar was trying to attack my dog.
It's a good thing Oscars aren't smart or they would most likely rule the entire planet.
L
Grandma says that's what you get for makin' waves. I'll Oscar again, but I think she said it may make you feel electrified but it can be dangerous and revolting.
Here lies "Kipper the catfish"; the blackened fish of the family.
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