Twitter/ @dcfireems
Six dogs have been rescued from a burning home in Washington, D.C.
District of Columbia Fire and EMS confirmed the incident in a tweet on their official account on July 21.
“Update Working Fire unit block K St NW. There are 4 residents & 6 dogs displaced. They will be assisted by @DCMOCRS & @RedCrossNCGC. No civilian injuries at this time. Investigators on scene to determine cause.”
Update Working Fire unit block K St NW. There are 4 residents & 6 dogs displaced. They will be assisted by @DCMOCRS & @RedCrossNCGC. No civilian injuries at this time. Investigators on scene to determine cause.
Crews were able to successfully revive an unconscious dog, initially believed to be dead, on the scene, WUSA-TV said.
Video was shared by emergency responders in further tweets showing rescuers administering water and oxygen to the dog.
The department identified the dogs as pit bulls, and thanked Humane Rescue on social media for their assistance.
Here’s what you need to know:
Firefighters Battled Fierce Air Temperatures of Around 100 Degrees
Firefighting is a hot business under any conditions, but is even worse with air temperatures around 100. Our firefighters on K St. NW underwent extensive rehab including rest, hydration, and medical evaluation. This is standard on any working incident.
Emergency responders described working in conditions with air temperatures around 100 degrees. “Our firefighters on K St. NW underwent extensive rehab including rest, hydration, and medical evaluation,” they said.
Crews described managing to bring the fire under control despite the intense heat and cluttered conditions.
Other issues described included faulty smoke alarms.
Our investigators determined smoke alarms were present but inoperable at K St NW house fire. If this blaze took place at night, the results could have been tragic. Fire burns fast, and WORKING smoke alarms give you those precious seconds to safely escape a burning home.
The Fire Was Located in the Basement of a 2-Story House, Officials Say
Vito Maggiolo, a public information officer with the department, told CBS News DC Fire and EMS was called to attend the blaze around noon on July 21.
Firefighters found the blaze in the basement of the two-story row house, he said. Four residents had already escaped the fire uninjured by the time crews arrived, but the dogs were still inside.
“When we search a building we look for people who are trapped and we also look for animals that are trapped,” Maggiolo said.
“Animals are part of people’s families. They’re often very precious to them.
“When we search for victims in a fire, obviously our first priority is human life, but we will do whatever we can to get those animals to safety.”
Maggiolo said crews initially located five dogs before finding a sixth dog “lying unconscious in the basement beneath a table.”
He said a “member of the department’s rescue squad carried the dog out and worked with other firefighters to revive it.”
While some of the dogs were staying with their owners, others were with a local animal rescue organization awaiting veterinarian evaluation, Maggiolo confirmed.
2 Men & 6 Dogs Were Rescued in a New Zealand Flood in July
Another dramatic animal rescue occurred on the other side of the world just last week.
Two men and six dogs were rescued following a flood in New Zealand’s Northland on July 18.
The New Zealand Herald reported the flood was the result of a “once in 500 year” storm event which hit Kaitaia in New Zealand’s North Island.
Rescue efforts were initiated after two men were trapped atop a tractor for several hours by rising floodwaters.
Two lifeguards successfully rescued the men using an inflatable rescue boat. Afterwards, a farmer asked if the pair could also rescue his six dogs, caged at a nearby house.
The lifeguards managed to reach the dogs and reunited them with their owner.