Middletown, NJ firefighters rescue 34 hospice animals from fire
MIDDLETOWN — Firefighters saved 34 hospice animals from a township home on Wednesday morning.
The blaze broke out at Oscar's Piggy Oasis on Chapel Hill Road, a nonprofit that specializes in special needs animals.
About 45 firefighters from five companies responded to the blaze just before 9:30 a.m. after a resident reported there was a fire in the wall of the basement laundry room, according to the department's Facebook page.
The resident told firefighters that fire extinguishers couldn't put out the flames. The resident also said the house had many hospice animals and the fire service could not remove the animals as they are special needs.
MTFD extinguishing a blaze that broke out at Oscar's Piggy Oasis (Photo Credit: Laurie Kegley, MTFD Public Information Officer Photographer)
In all, 20 cats, 13 pigs and a turtle were saved from the fire. No people or animals were injured.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The 24/7 care facility's main concern is "quality of life," according to Oscar's Piggy Oasis Facebook page.
"Oscar was such a precious baby. He was our first pig; and why we are, who we are today. All our babies, and animals rights and rescue work is because of the lessons Oscar taught us. We were truly blessed to be 'his' people. Oscar was our miracle," the group said.
Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com
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