TOKYO (Reuters) - Two kittens picked the wrong place to relieve themselves when they urinated on a fax machine, sparking a fire that extensively damaged their Japanese owner’s house.

　　Investigators in the western city of Kobe have concluded that the fire in January was caused by a spark generated when the urine soaked the machine’s electrical printing mechanism.

　　The fire damaged the kitchen and living room before it was put out by the house’s owner, who was treated for mild smoke inhalation, said Masahito Oyabu, a fireman at the Nagata fire station in central Kobe.

　　The kittens quickly ran to safety, he added.

　　"If you have a cat, or a dog for that matter, be careful where they urinate," Oyabu said. "Especially keep them away from electrical appliances and wires."
 
　　辅助阅读

　　两只小猫错将传真机选作“方便”之所，导致火灾发生，大面积烧毁其主人的房屋。

　　神户某西部城市的调查人员说，该火灾是由尿浸湿了打印机的电打印装置时产生的火花引起的。火灾烧毁了厨房和起居室，而两只小猫则迅速逃到安全地带。

　　消防人员提醒人们，“如果养了猫、狗等，请一定注意让其在合适的地方撒尿，尤其要远离电器、电线。”