Dog News

Dog Trapped in Fire Saves Family from Blaze

by Katherine

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On June 25, 2014, a heroic five pound Chihuahua named Chloe saved its family and four-legged sibling from dying in a house fire that started in the home’s garage.

The house, located on south 329th Street and 29th Avenue, in Federal Way, Wash., caught fire early morning. Its residents suffered from smoke inhalation, but thanks to Chloe, they are alive today.

The four-legged hero alerted its owners of the blaze by barking. The barks allowed the pet owners to escape the flames with one of their three dogs. They climbed out of a bedroom window to safety. However, Chloe the hero dog remained trapped inside the burning home.

Firefighters hand Chloe to Devon Whittlesey. Photo Credit: Courtesy South King Fire and Rescue
Firefighters hand Chloe to Devon Whittlesey. Photo Credit: Courtesy South King Fire and Rescue

 

When South King Fire and Rescue firefighters arrived at the home they fought to contain the flames. Ed Plumlee, South King Fire and Rescue assistant chief told The Federal Way Mirror they believed two of the pets had perished in the flames because the home owners had escaped with only one of three dogs.

“I told [my wife] “[Chloe is] hiding somewhere and she’s going to be alive,'” Bob Fischer told KOMO News. “[Rescuers] came over and they said, ‘no way. She has too much smoke. She’s probably gone, too.'”

Yet, when firefighters entered the home they found Chloe and she was alive. They pulled her out of the burning home and into their loving owners’ arms.

While Fisher and his wife Traci Fox were safe outside the burning home, Fox screamed for her daughter Devon Whittlesey who was asleep in her own room along her Pit bull-terrier mix dog. Luckily, Whittlesey heard her mother’s screams and she crawled out to safety. Sadly, her pet died in the blaze.

Fisher, Fox and Whittlesey were incredibly lucky to escape the blaze with their lives intact. Their home was significantly damaged and a neighboring home suffered fire damages too, butt thanks to their heroic dog Chloe, they are alive today.

“Chloe saved us,” said Whittlesey. “We wouldn’t have lived. If the flames wouldn’t have got us, the smoke would have.”