A Berkshire couple returned home to find their house had been set on fire by their 70-year-old tortoise. Emma Fox had brought Fred, a female tortoise, inside when she came out of hibernation early.

Emma, 30, and partner Paul Butler, 45, left Fred in a tank under a heat lamp to keep her warm enough to stay alive. But Fred piled her dry straw under the lamp and it caught alight, spreading flames through the house.

Emma, who also has a dog and two baby tortoises, said: "We were out shopping when we got a call from the fire brigade saying that our tortoise had set the house on fire.

"There's a lot of smoke damage. We need to replace all our furniture and front door, but all our animals survived." "She means the world to me - even if she did almost burn the house down."
go

LOL! I mean, it's not funny, and I'm glad no one got seriously hurt, but I never thought a turtle could be so destructive!
They're some of the safest pets you could have imo.

LMAO.......at least the pets lived.........

lol Turtle power!!!

Why is the tortois being blamed for the fire? When clearly it was the guy who piled the dry straw under the heat lamp thats to blame in this! I,m soooo glad the animals are safe, but their framing the poor tortois when she,s innocent i tell you! Oh the injustice of it all! They should hang their heads in shame for trying to pin this offence of blunders on the old gal! Won,t someone clear her good name before the other pets blame, and shun her forever?

I was surprised the tortoise survived, she must have moved the fastest she ever did to get away from the flames

wow they sure are lucky . fred the female tortoise how cute lol . maybe she was protesting at having to live in a tank while they were out gallivanting .