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Duluth Fire rescues Betty the bulldog during structure fire

[Duluth, MN] Just after 3:20 p.m. this afternoon, the Duluth Fire Department responded to the call of a two-story single-family structure fire in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The home was located on the 400 block of North 39th Avenue West. A neighbor heard the smoke detector and began investigating, saw smoke coming from the kitchen windows, and called 911. The neighbor knocked on the door, and no one answered the door.

Duluth Police Officer Sauve arrived on the scene first and confirmed that there was smoke in the kitchen. Duluth fire crews from Lincoln Park arrived next within three minutes from the initial dispatch. The 2 Engine crew used their pre-connect hose line to attack from the rear house door straight into the kitchen and put the fire out. The fire started in the kitchen and did not spread to any other rooms in the house. Smoke, however, did spread throughout the rest of the house.

Meanwhile, the 8 Quint crew from Spirit Valley conducted a primary search and found on the second floor of the home a four-year-old English Bulldog named Betty. Betty was rescued from the house, and Officer Sauve gave her some water while fire crews began ventilating the home. Betty was not injured and is recovering with her owner. 

The homeowner was in the process of moving into the home and was not there at the time of the fire. Fire officials were able to reach the homeowner, and he quickly returned to the home.

The cause of the fire has been ruled as accidental. Damage is estimated at $5,000 to the structure and $1,000 in kitchen contents. 

Crews from Spirit Valley, Lincoln Park, and Headquarters responded to the call. The Duluth Police Department provided traffic assistance and was very helpful in caring for Betty after the rescue.  

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