Crime & Safety

Firefighters Act Quick, Save Family Pet

Dog was inside and in extreme distress when firefighters entered the Buford home.

The quick actions of Gwinnett County firefighters saved a family pet after a fire broke out Tuesday afternoon. The fire broke out just after 4:30 p.m. in a home on the 6000 block of Ambercrest Court in Buford.

In a press release, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Eric Eberly said the fire displaced the family of four, but the actions of firefighters saved a small dog that was still inside the home when crews arrived.

“Units arrived on scene to find a working fire on a two-story residential structure,” Eberly said in the release. “Crews encountered a large volume of fire coming from the front garage and roof area.”

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Eberly said crews first entered the residence to search for children after a report from neighbors that they were inside. When that turned out to not be the case, firefighters retreated to fight the fire defensively. After controlling the blaze until the situation was safe, crews went back into the home to search for a family dog that was reported to be inside.

“The quick actions from firefighters found one small dog still inside the residence in extreme distress,” Eberly said, adding the dog was turned over to Gwinnett Fire Paramedics where it was given medical aid. “The firefighters’ efforts kept the blaze from spreading to other nearby homes.”

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Eberly said the dog was transported via a family friend to a nearby veterinarian hospital and is presumed OK. He said the house was a total loss, but there were no injuries to report. The exact cause of the fire is listed as accidental and reported to have originated as a vehicle fire in the garage. The Red Cross was contacted to assist the family.


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