Trapped 26 days, cat survives after fire (10 Aug 2009)

Having nine lives is one thing - but Smoka the cat may have used 26 of them to emerge unscathed after that many days in the rubble of an Aug. 10 fire.

The 1-year-old cat was stuck in an apartment above Fitzgerald's Flowers and Gifts at 410 S. Main St. in Franklin when the building burned.

Sandy LaPierre, Smoka's owner who lived in a second-floor apartment, said she assumed the cat died from the smoke and water.

Nearly four weeks later, Smoka was spotted by two members of Stark Wrecking Co. who were cleaning up the fire debris.