Old man and kitten survive fire after house is burned to the ground

An old man and his kitten recently survived a house fire that burned the man's home to the ground.

Ali Mese was trying to light his stove using gasoline last week when he accidentally started a fire that destroyed his home. The Turkish man, his wife, and his son were all rescued from the blaze, but it was an image of Mese and his pet kitten that grabbed the attention of people around the world. The 83-year-old man and 'Sarikiz' the kitten were photographed by local media after being rescued from the blaze. The image is just heartbreaking. https://www.instagram.com/p/BeDTS7slyNG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_ufi 'Sarikiz,' which means 'blonde girl' in Turkish was the only cat who made it out of the fire alive. Local news source Anadolu Kedisi reports that Mese had many cats and hens living in his home before the fire broke out. After firefighters rescued him and his family, Mese was taken to hospital and treated for minor burns. He was later reunited with Sarikiz who had received many gifts through donations, including a cat bed and a carry cage.

Kızılay Ekiplerimiz Ali Dedemize ihtiyaçlarını ulaştırdı. Kediciğimiz de mama, şampuan, taşıma çantası ve pusetine kavuştu. Valiliğimiz ile koordineli barınma ihtiyaçlarına da destek olacağız. Kızılay çınarına yaslanıp bir soluklansın hele, iyi uykular dedecim❤️ pic.twitter.com/wEbvrHKeZ5

— Dr Kerem Kınık (@drkerem) January 17, 2018

Local authorities and assistance funds are banding together to help Mese and build him a new home.