In a dramatic rescue caught on body camera video, a woman and her three dogs were saved by Long Island firefighters as their home was burning.
The fire broke out inside a home on Cleveland Street in Suffolk County’s Islip Terrace around 11 a.m. Sunday, according to officials. Firefighters who arrived at the scene found a one of the dogs, a Siberian husky named Brutus, unconscious in the kitchen under a pile of debris, according to Islip Fire Department First Assistant Chief Jared Gunst.
Two more pups were still trapped inside, another Siberian husky named Luna and an Alaskan malamute named Theo. The dogs’ owner, Tara Pinella, said that the canines were on the second floor, which they must’ve gone to in order to hide from the flames, because one of the dogs can’t typically do stairs anymore.
Firefighters managed to get all three of the dogs out, but two were unconscious and barely breathing.
“I see them on the ground, giving Brutus chest compressions. Seriously, chest compressions,” said Piniella.
The first responders were able to revive the dogs, and used a hose to cool them down as well as rinse off any burns. On Monday, Piniella got a chance to personally thank the Islip Fire Department, but not just for saving her pets — her 19-year-old daughter was sleeping in the basement when the fire broke out, and called 911.
“She looked up the stairs and saw a wall of black smoke and heard the dogs crying,” Pinella said.
She was trapped, until firefighters heard her screaming and banging on the basement window.
“They were able to break out the basement window, reach in and puller her from the house,” said Gunst.
The teen suffered smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning, but is recovering. The dogs are recovering as well, at the veterinarian, but are expected to be able to return to the family soon — for which Piniella is eternally grateful.
“They risked their life for me, my family, my daughter, my dogs,” she said. “They truly are heroes. They should be commended, I can’t say thank you enough.”