This is the heartbreaking moment an 83-year-old man clutches his pet cat while weeping over the charred remains of his home.
Ali Meşe, from Ordu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey, burned his house down after trying to light his wood stove with gasoline.
As everything he loved perished in front of him, he took comfort in cuddling up to his adorable feline friend.
These heartbreaking photos capture the moment an 83-year-old man clutches his pet cat while weeping over the charred remains of his home
Ali Meşe, from Ordu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey, burned his house down after trying to light his wood stove with gasoline
Neighbours alerted firefighters to Ali’s home after noticing the flames.
He had been trying to cook on a wood stove but the gasoline he poured on caused it to explode.
Thankfully, Ali and his family – and one of his cats, called Sarikiz, translated as ‘Blonde Girl’ in English – were saved from the blaze and no one suffered serious injuries, local media reported.
A team sent by the Bolu Governement is also preparing the new house for the pensioner.
International well-wishers have also taken to a GoFundMe page and raised nearly $6000 (£4000) for Mese and his family.
Ali has always been very fond of cats and had a handful living with him at the time of the tragic accident – but only one managed to get out alive
Ali has always been very fond of cats and had a handful living with him at the time of the tragic accident.
But only one managed to get out alive.
The pensioner also lost almost all of his hens in the blaze.
’13 of the 14 hens in the basement died during the fire,’ Meşe said.
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın tweeted that he contacted the governor province where Meşe lives and would help address the needs of the pensioner.
Ali was taken to the hospital to treat his minor burns and emerged a day later with a heavily-bandaged right hand. But he was then reunited with his beloved cat
The inseparable pair looked ecstatic to finally be back together after their horrific ordeal, cuddling up to each other in a blissful embrace
Ali was taken to the hospital to treat his minor burns and emerged a day later with a heavily-bandaged right hand.
But he was then reunited with his beloved cat.
The inseparable pair looked ecstatic to finally be back together after their horrific ordeal.