Fla. Responders Save Pets From House Fire

ST. PETERSBURG - Firefighters rescued three dogs and a cat from a burning house Wednesday morning.

St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue responded to the scene just before 11:30 a.m. after a call reported a thick column of smoke, visible from several blocks away.

The home, 835 39th Ave. N, was engulfed in flames at the rear of the house. Officials estimate it sustained about $75,000 in damage.

Firefighters forced their way inside, where they found the animals - three chihuahuas and a cat. No one was home at the time of the fire. Firefighters pulled the animals from the flames and began administering oxygen using masks designed for animals, said St. Petersburg Fire Rescue spokesman Lt. Joel Granata.

Once the animals' breathing stabilized, owner David Behrens, 48, took them to see a veterinarian at the Haines Road Animal Clinic.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the fire, and the incident remained under investigation Wednesday afternoon.

No human injuries were reported.

Marissa Lang can be reached at mlang@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8804.

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