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Family's dog lost after suspected electrical fire ignites in home on River Street

By Howard B. Owens

A woman who came home to her River Street apartment about 10:30 p.m., Friday, was unable to rescue her dog and firefighters believe the dog had already passed by the time they found it in a back bedroom.

"She said she tried to get the dog out but the smoke was too thick," said neighbor Ed DeJaneiro. "She crawled but couldn’t reach him."

Lt. Marty Hinz, city fire, said when firefighters arrived a partition in the apartment's living room was engulfed in flames. The first order of business was suppressing the fire. Then they located the dog.

When the dog, "Scooter," was brought outside, the resident and neighbors tried to resuscitate it but where unsuccessful.

As a result of her attempt to rescue her dog, the woman suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy EMS.

Her name at this time has not been released.

The fire was likely the result of an electrical problem, Hinz said.

There's no damage estimate available.

The fire was contained to 102 River, which is the left side of a duplex. The other apartment had no fire damage.

The woman's husband had left for work at 4 p.m., Hinz said. Investigators have not yet been able to interview the woman and neighbors provided conflicting accounts of when she might have left.

Accounts do agree that she returned around 10:30 p.m. She found smoke coming from her residence and went to her neighbor's apartment to report the fire. The neighbor evacuated his three daughters and called 9-1-1. He then tried to attack the fire with a fire extinguisher, but was unsuccessful.

Batavia PD officers were first on scene.

By that time, DeJaneiro said, flames could be seen in the living room.

According to DeJaneiro, he and his wife left for dinner about 6 p.m. At that time, he said, they smelled smoke and commented that somebody must already be using their wood-burning stove this time of year.

The temperature at 6 p.m. was into the 30s or low 40s.

Another neighbor thought he heard a smoke detector at one point, but didn't pinpoint the location, DeJaneiro said.

"This may have been going on since six o’clock," DeJaneiro said. "I don’t know. It may just have been smoldering and unfortunately, this is the end result."

DeJaneiro said the woman's husband was particularly fond of Scooter.

tj stone

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http://www.invisiblefence.com/Giving-Back/Project-Breathe

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To fill this need, Invisible Fence® Brand started the Pet Oxygen Mask Donation Program to provide oxygen mask kits to first responders. Each kit includes a small, medium, and large mask; fire departments are eligible to receive one kit per station.
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Oct 13, 2012, 4:58pm Permalink
David Stowell

Your photos of my wife's grief over the death of our beloved beagle, Scooter, and the loss of nearly everything we owned, were intrusive and have served only to deepen her mental anguish. If our dog had been a two year old child, would you have printed such a photo? I think you would have - just to help sell newspapers. Our dog was a better moral "being" than the man who took these photos and the person or persons who decided they should be published.

Oct 17, 2012, 1:34pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Mr. Stowell while I sympathize with your loss... what ifs dont apply here, it wasnt a 2 yr old child. It was a beloved pet and while I would be just as devastated at the loss of my own two pets, and fought just as hard to save them in the same circumstance. Its is not Howards fault. Since you dont know Howard I dont think that you judgement of morals applies or is valid. Again I'm sorry for your loss and I hope you bothe get help and comfort to ease the pain and loss you are going through. I speak from expereince when I say that it will lesses over time and become easier to bear.

Oct 17, 2012, 1:54pm Permalink

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