It was 2:45 a.m. on July 5th when Walter Rodriguez, an elderly man, was woken up by his three dogs Muñeco, Laica and Chiquita. The three brave dogs saved Rodriguez from a rapid fire that destroyed his humble home in the outskirts of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Photo Credit: Marcelo Gutierrez
“The dogs helped me exit my burning home,” Rodriguez told El Universo. “They were nipping at my shirt and pulling me towards the door. I pushed the door open and in the process burnt my hands and head, but we all made it outside. I immediately started calling out for help, but everyone was asleep and that’s why no one was able to help me.”
Orlando Guevera, a neighbor, informed local reporters that Rodriguez had a small electronics repair shop in the back of his home.
“What probably caused the fire was faulty electric connections in one of the many TVs Don Walter has in his shop,” said the neighbor.
Once safe, Rodriguez couldn’t stop thanking his three pets for saving his life. Rodriguez also tried to calm his dogs because by then fire trucks and firefighters had arrived at the scene. The canine heroes were nervous due to the loud sirens and the many people that gathered around them.
Within 15 minutes the fire was contained. Rodriguez house was completely destroyed in the fire but fortunately the accident didn’t claim any lives. Rodriguez was taken to a local health center to receive medical attention for the burns he endured while escaping the fire. Muñeco, Laica and Chiquita are being cared for by a neighbor.
