A Fullerton apartment resident threw his Frenchie, Rammy, from a balcony during a fire Thursday. Police officers caught the dog.
The dramatic rescue was covered by ABC7 Los Angeles. A couch was on fire inside the unit as flames spread through the apartment. The resident threw Rammy from the balcony to police officers below.
Fire coverage identified the resident as Mark Villegas, a tenant at Portico Apartments near West Hill Avenue and South Harbor Boulevard. Villegas told KTLA his partner noticed the couch burning as she went to the kitchen; he got their son out first, then returned for Rammy when flames had blocked the hallway. The dog's name reflects Villegas' support for the Los Angeles Rams, a detail he shared in an interview about the rescue.
The fire triggered a full evacuation of the apartment complex, and one person suffered minor burns, the same CBS LA report notes. The Fullerton Fire Department has since opened an active arson investigation into the fire's origin on the couch.
Fullerton Adds Emergency Ambulance Service
The response unfolded against the backdrop of a department that has expanded its resources over the past year. In February, the City of Fullerton announced the launch of a city-operated emergency ambulance service, staffed by 32 dedicated operators who now handle 911 medical calls and hospital transport directly, replacing the third-party contractors the city previously relied on, per a press release from the City of Fullerton.
The Fullerton Fire Department, established in 1908, now covers roughly 22 square miles and serves more than 140,000 residents across six stations, per city records.
Fullerton’s fire service traces its formal start to another local blaze. In April 1908, after a downtown fire exposed a mismatch between the town’s hydrant fittings and the hose brought from Anaheim, residents formed a bucket brigade. The department was officially organized on Aug. 10 that year. The city’s history of the department describes the fire as a catalyst for Fullerton’s first organized fire protection.
What Happens Next
The fire's cause and origin remain unknown.
No charges have been announced, and the identity of the person who suffered minor burns has not been released.
State Law Now Requires Pet Evacuation Planning
The balcony rescue also arrives amid a broader shift in how California requires local governments to plan for pets during emergencies. Assembly Bill 478, known as the FOUND Act, took effect at the start of 2026 and mandates that local governments establish explicit procedures to protect and evacuate companion animals during declared emergencies, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
The law addresses pets in areas subject to evacuation orders, not the mechanics of an apartment-building rescue. When cities and counties next update their emergency plans, they must include procedures for rescuing pets believed to be alive, coordinate those procedures with the incident commander, and identify a public contact for pet-related evacuation information. Rescued pets also receive a 30-day protection from adoption, euthanasia or transfer from local animal-control custody, as outlined in Cal OES’ summary of AB 478.
The American Red Cross cautions pet owners never to delay their own escape or put themselves at risk to recover an animal during a home fire. Instead, the organization recommends including pets in routine evacuation drills and keeping leashes stored near exits so animals can be moved quickly without hesitation. Separately, the Red Cross has cited National Fire Protection Association data showing that pets themselves accidentally start roughly 1,000 home fires nationwide each year, often by bumping stove controls or getting too close to open flames.
