A tiny puppy died in a Santa Monica apartment fire due to the heat and smoke.
He wasn’t breathing and had no pulse, so one firefighter started CPR. Thanks to these rescuers, especially firefighter Andrew Klein, the dog was breathing independently and was walking within 20 minutes.
The Santa Monica Fire Department began getting calls regarding an apartment building fire at 4:05 p.m. on March 21st. Minutes later, a unit came and started fighting the blaze, slicing the roof to let hot smoke and gas out. They kept the blaze restricted to the kitchen and a spare room, preventing further spread.
Firefighters looking for casualties spotted an unresponsive dog overpowered by heat and smoke, the agency stated on Facebook. “The dog was yanked from the structure, dead.” Pet oxygen masks, which all Santa Monica Fire Department units carry, were used to do CPR and deliver oxygen.
Meanwhile, a woman, likely his mother, waited anxiously, not knowing if her son would live. The prognosis was bleak, but Klein persisted.
“Come on, buddy,” and “at-a-boy,” the firefighters encouraged him while administering oxygen.
After 20 minutes, the dog regained awareness and was able to walk again. With the help of concerned neighbors, a nearby animal hospital was identified, and the critter was taken there.
No other casualties were reported, and the origin of the incident is yet unknown. The Red Cross is helping the apartment’s occupant.
