 After being met with heavy smoke, they retreated into a second-floor master bedroom where they called a basement resident and 911 for help. The basement resident grabbed a ladder from outside and placed it by the bedroom window so the three stuck inside could escape. The cat who had made it outside jumped from the owner's arms and ran back into the building where he was later found deceased. Fire officials say the home's smoke alarms were removed or disabled at the time due to painting.