Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Goldfish survives fire

|
|
 
  
Published: Dec. 31, 2005 at 4:45 PM

LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A 10-inch goldfish plucked from an ornamental pond by a heron surprised a British man when it appeared in his fireplace -- while a fire was blazing.

The careless bird dropped its dinner, probably while sitting on the chimney, but a pile of potato peelings just thrown on the fire seems to have saved the goldfish from a fiery end, the Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

The goldfish, now named Sooty, bounced off the peelings and landed on the hearth, where the surprised homeowner scooped him up and put him in a washbasin filled with water.

Sooty seemed none the worse for wear -- despite being bitten and falling into a fireplace -- and has been enjoying a second lease on life in a pet shop aquarium.

"I was watching television and actually eating fish and chips for dinner when there was a noise up the chimney," said Bill Brooks. "Suddenly this thing appeared out of nowhere and bounced off some potato peelings I'd thrown on to the fire, out of the flames and on to the hearth."

© 2005 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The making of the Oscars Cheerleaders of 2012 The Chicago Auto Show
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China The Most Desirable Women of 2012 The best kisses
Additional Odd News Stories
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
1 of 25
Meryl Streep and Colin Firth attend the "BAFTA" ceremony in London
View Caption
fark
Florida man ran into his ex-girlfriend yesterday. Then he backed up and ran into her again. He misses...
If you are Australia's most notorious hired gun, brag about having killed 19 people, and go by the...
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer robbed by machete-wielding intruder in the home he owns on...
Photoshop this striking side shot
You gotta ask yourself what kind of management a motel has it when a room there contains a body...
Twins in yearlong quarantine. No, they don't want any Doublemint gum