Firefighter/paramedics from Marion County Fire Rescue are being praised for saving a family’s dog from a burning Summerfield home on Friday afternoon.
Multiple firefighters were dispatched shortly after 2:15 p.m. to a residential structure fire in the 2700 block of SE 162nd Place Rd. Multiple 911 callers reported heavy flames and smoke coming from a residence and it wasn’t known if anyone was inside the structure, a report says.
Firefighter/paramedics from The Villages of Marion Station #10 arrived on scene at 2:25 p.m. and reported a working fire. The crew went into immediate rescue mode to complete a primary search of the structure. A district captain arrived a short time later, established command and directed arriving firefighters to assume their duties. Other firefighters from Villages of Marion Station #10 and their colleagues from Belleview Station #18, Shady Station #16 and Summerfield Station #30 also quickly arrived on scene.
Crews made an aggressive interior attack with three hoselines. During the primary search of the structure, firefighters Tristan Rora and Alexander Brocksmith were able to locate a dog named Lucy and rescue her from the burning structure. Crews continued to battle the heavy fire load within the home and were able to call the blaze under control at 2:49 p.m. Other than Lucy, the home wasn’t occupied at the time of the fire.
The cause and origin of the blaze is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and there were no injuries reported. The American Red Cross was called in to provide assistance to the residents of the heavily damaged home.