Mesa firefighters rescue puppies from fiery crash

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    MESA, AZ (KTVK) — Mesa firefighters saved two puppies from a fiery crash at a gas station late Wednesday night.

According to Detective Jason Flam, the puppies were rescued after a man crashed his vehicle into gas pumps at a QT near McKellips and Country Club Drive just before 11:30 p.m. The vehicle caught fire and the driver ran from the crash, leaving the two Sharpei puppies inside the car.

The Mesa Fire Department retrieved the two puppies that were trapped in the car and quickly put out the fire. “They had some burns on them,” one firefighter told us. “One was totally out of it, just lying there. But we were able to get them out to safety and work on them.”

Fire crews used Fido bags to revive the pups.”Every Mesa fire truck has a Fido bag… blanket, cones, oxygen tank. It’s a tool for us to help bring these animals back from potentially dying.”

Both fire and police say teamwork made all the difference in saving the pups. “We all have our own part to play and we all know what to do, so that helps a lot,” one firefighter said to AZ Family.” And Sgt. Shawn Walkington with the Mesa Police Department said, ” We kind of held down the scene and let the fire department do their thing, and they were the ones who went in and put out the fire and rescued the puppies, and our role was just to assist.

Flam said Mesa officers were able to find the driver about a mile away and detained him. Police believe impairment may be a factor in this crash. Flam said there was also a passenger in the car, but the driver would not identify that person and police have not located them.

The puppies were taken to a local veterinarian with burns on their paws and melted plastic in their fur. The vet said the puppies will be fine.

“I’m just happy they’re okay. Just happy we could pull them out and that they’re safe.”

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