A Fort Lauderdale Police officer was hospitalized after venturing into a burning apartment to rescue a dog this morning. The officer, in an effort to quickly locate the pet, was overcome by smoke and later required medical attention, as reported by NBC Miami.
According to 7News, fire rescue services were summoned to the 700 block of Northwest 12th Terrace following reports of an apartment blaze. Upon arrival, they discovered a fire that had started in the kitchen but were able to extinguish it before it could severely damage the property.
The unidentified officer was one of the first responders who rushed into the smoke to save the dog named Rocky. "The officer was expected to be okay, along with the dog and two teens who were able to get out of the apartment uninjured," according to information obtained by NBC Miami.
The two teens present in the apartment, aged 19 and 15, had a narrow escape; their mother, who was working nearby, detailed the frantic call she received from her daughter. "All I heard was my daughter screaming saying 'the house is on fire, the house is on fire!' So I'm like 'did you guys call 911? What happened, what's going on?' It was like 'the house is on fire, we can't find the dog,'" she told NBC Miami.
Following the events, the family is now reportedly awaiting assistance from the Red Cross. While the mother expressed her gratitude that everyone came through the ordeal unscathed, the investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing by the Fire Marshal.
