'Windows started exploding': Pennsylvania pot-bellied pig sets owner's house on fire

A pig looking for some extra heat is responsible for setting a house on fire in Pennsylvania, its owners said.

A family in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, said that their pot-bellied pig set their home on fire in an attempt to stay warm by piling hay too close to a heat lamp.

The family spoke to WTAE 4 ABC and said that they had a makeshift outdoor home for the pig, named Albert, providing him with overhead shelter, hay, and a heat lamp. The family believes, however, that Albert pushed a pile of extra hay too close to the heat lamp in order stay warm, and it is assumed to be what started the fire.

"I had added extra hay for him because I knew it was going to snow, and he had a little heat light there in the front," said owner Margaret Painter. "He must have knocked his hay into the heat lap and caught the house on fire."

The incident occured just a few hours before the family rang in the new year when they saw an orange glow outside of their window.

"I opened the door and it flashed into the house," said homeowner Tom Painter. "I tried to put it out, and then the windows started exploding."

The parents explained to local reporters that their family, including their children, was able to escape the fire, but their pets were not so lucky. The fire claimed the lives of two of the Painter's cats, with another three cats and one dog surviving.

The 8-year-old pig in question also survived, but he unfortunately suffered burns.

Multiple outlets reported that Albert was taken to a rescue ranch that then transported the pig to Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, where he was treated for smoke inhalation and his burns.

After a month, he will reportedly be taken into Kindred Spirits Rescue Ranch in Darlington Township in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

According to Penn Live, Albert is a fun-loving pig who knows how to open and close doors and has his own TikTok page. "He was a lot of fun," Tom Painter added.

The Painter's daughter, Autumn, set up a GoFundMe page for the family and asked for donations and prayers.

At the time of this publication, the fundraiser had garnered nearly $12,000.

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