She moved silently around her home and was known as the quiet member of her family. Never one to even meow, Chelsea, a Domestic Shorthair, barely made her presence known. After being adopted from a New Jersey shelter, the feline was described as being unnaturally shy.

During the holiday season, many family members entered the home of Chelsea and her owner Lyn Nelson. The table was set, candles were lit and the food was served. After an enjoyable yet exhausting day, Lyn laid down to rest and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Forgetting to extinguish the candles on her dining room table, the candles began to burn the tablecloth.