Sacramento, CA
by Ed Fogle

It was a bittersweet day for homeowners in the 6900 block Silverthorne Circle today. While their home was saved, they lost their furry friend.

Kirk Davies, photographer for MaverickPhotography.us and neighbor to the family, stated "it smelled like something barbequing when I walked outside, then I saw smoke pouring from my neighbors house and called 911"

Tuesday afternoon, about 4:30 P.M., it is believed (but still under investigation) that a fire started in the dishwasher. Battalion Chief, Richard Anderson stated that the fire was contained to the kitchen area of the home. "A repair man from Sears was supposed to be at the home working on the dishwasher earlier in the day, but was a no-show" Davies stated.

No one was home when the fire started but during a search of the home, the family dog was found unconscious. Per Anderson, two of the firefighters who happened to be on duty were trained in basic dog medicine. The Metro Fire USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team uses rescue dogs, and the firefighters who work with them have this training in the event their dogs are injured during a disaster or rescue operation.

The two firefighters, assisted by colleagues, went to work right away on the dog, administering mouth to snout respirations, started an IV, inserted an advanced airway and transported the dog to the nearest veterinarian in a truck. With all the heroic efforts of the firefighters, the furry friend did not survive. "If that dog had any chance to live, it was with this crew", stated Anderson.

Metro Fire Department responded with three engines, two trucks and one medic rig and had nearly twenty-five firefighters involved.

Photos by MaverickPhotography.us/KirkDavies