This dog had its day. Puppy rescued from two-house South Modesto fire

Modesto firefighters rescued two dogs, including a puppy, while battling a blaze in south Modesto that displaced two households.

At 11:14 a.m. firefighters responded to a call for an active structure fire that had spread between two homes on the 300 block of Empire Avenue, just south of Mono Drive. Modesto Fire Battalion Chief Randy Anderson said when firefighters arrived the blaze had melted the gas meters outside the homes, igniting the escaping gas and causing flames to spread quickly.

Anderson said crews took about 20 minutes to get the fire knocked down. The flames heavily charred the outside of both homes and spread to the attic areas inside. The residents of one of the houses, an adult and infant child, had already evacuated by the time fire crews arrived. The other occupants were not home.

No injuries were reported for any of the inhabitants or firefighters. A black-and-white pit bull puppy was carried out of the debris about 40 minutes after the fire started. Modesto firefighter Alex Roussell tended to the puppy, which was uninjured, and reunited it with its owner shortly after. Another adult dog was also recovered uninjured in the backyard.

Anderson said the fire appears to have started outside, between the two homes. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation and both homes have been deemed uninhabitable. The damages were estimated at $160,000.

Seven engines and two trucks from Modesto Fire, Stanislaus Consolidated Fire and Ceres Fire responded to the call. The Red Cross was called to help the displaced residents.

This story was originally published September 30, 2017 at 4:20 PM.