The Santa Rosa Fire Department, responding to an alarm at a four-plex apartment Wednesday evening, extinguished a kitchen fire, and rescued four pet dogs that were alone in the building.
Two of the dogs were found unconscious from smoke inhalation. Firefighters brought the animals outside and administered specialized pet oxygen resuscitation masks to revive them.
The person who first reported the fire alarm at 7:27 p.m. said that one of the apartment windows was glowing and turning brown from the smoke.
Three engines, a ladder truck and a battalion chief responded to the building at 2450 Plata Ct.
The department said that, upon arrival, the firefighters found one unit was charged with heavy smoke, but the residents were not home. Just as crews were preparing to force entry, the residents arrived and unlocked the apartment door, saying their four dogs were still inside.
Once in the unit, fire crews launched an aggressive response in heavy smoke to a well-established kitchen fire while the dogs were rescued from the second floor.
The residents told firefighters they had left the apartment for about 20 minutes to run errands. According to the department, an inspection determined that food left cooking on the stove caused the fire. Total damage to the apartment is estimated at $50,000.
