Firefighters Honored for Saving Pups From Blaze
A group of firefighters who rescued a dozen puppies from a fire at a South-Central Los Angeles pet store were honored Friday before the Los Angeles City Council.
Crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Battalion 13, Fire Station 66 and Rescue Ambulance 866 were lauded “in recognition of the courage, heroism, sensitivity and love for life which they demonstrated.”
Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, praised the firefighters for following their “natural instincts” and reviving some of the puppies by putting oxygen masks over their faces.
Store owner William Thomas, holding one of the English pit bull puppies pulled from the blaze, expressed his gratitude. “We just want to thank them for saving the puppies. Even though we lost a lot . . . we’re going to try to come back,” he said.
Several animals, including birds and hamsters, died in the fire, which broke out in the early morning hours of Sept. 29 at a strip mall in the 6800 block of South Western Avenue.
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