Helensvale paramedics save pup and kitten after Pimpama duplex fire
THE lives of a pup and kitten were saved when they were pulled from a burning Gold Coast home and treated by paramedics in heartwarming scenes yesterday. The fire has been deemed suspicious.
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THE lives of a pup and kitten were saved when they were pulled from a burning Gold Coast home and treated by paramedics in heartwarming scenes yesterday.
The fire that ripped through an Oakwood St, Pimpama two-storey duplex yesterday afternoon has been deemed suspicious.
Fire crews contained the blaze and managed to rescue a seven-month-old cattle dog Holden and one-year-old kitten Chip from the home.
Helensvale Paramedics Jennifer Chesters and Shelly Shelly Pringle quickly worked to save the drowsy pair who were panting, covered in black soot and suffering from smoke inhalation.
“You could tell they were quite affected by the smoke,” Jennifer said.
“They were floppy, had glazed eyes — they weren’t responding to us when we first got there.”
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They administered oxygen for about an hour, and the beloved pets’ condition improved gradually.
Distraught pet-owner Anna Fitzpatrick, who was renting the property with her ex-partner and 19-month-old daughter, returned home to the chaos after a few days away.
“I didn’t know how to react the first time. I ended up just running out of the car and down to the animals freaking out,” she said.
“They were outside getting oxygen and being treated. I broke down in tears when I saw them, afraid I was going to lose them both. They’re just so tiny and young.
“They were all limp, weren’t moving, just panting, covered in soot. I gave them a pat, and hands were turning black and everything. They were just really drowsy and not responding to a lot.”
The twenty-year-old was full of nothing but praise for multiskilled paramedic Jennifer and her partner Shelly.
“I can’t thank Jenny enough, she did so well to save my animals, they really needed the help. I can’t believe they did that and at least got them back to a movable state,” she said.
“And the fireys — I couldn’t believe they found them, as they said it was quite black and dark in there. They’re quite dark themselves and the dog was behind the washing machine as he had tried to hide, and the cat was on the floor in the carpet.”
Jennifer, had completed three years of veterinary school, working at a veterinary clinic before joining the Queensland Ambulance Service.
“That was a long time ago, I thought I’d forgotten almost everything, but was kind of remembering how to look at them,” she said.
“I think just knowing with the oxygen and knowing what to look for and that they were getting better, they were starting to breathe more normally and starting to look around. By the end they were looking for cuddles, sitting up and behaving normally, was really good
“It’s just a relief that what we could do helped, they didn’t get any sicker. It was really the firefighters getting them out was magnificent.”
The pair of furry friends were taken to a vet for precautionary measures where they remain today.
“They’re on antibiotics, they want to do X-rays and checks as the cat was stood on, her stomach, during the process, because they didn’t see her,” Anna said.
“They want to make sure there’s no permanent damage on the inside.
“They’re being well looked after and getting the royal treatment.
Police are investigating the cause of the blaze.
Anna said she was thankful nobody was home when the blaze started.
“I don’t know if they would have gotten out in time because of where the fire was.
“If even I was home I don’t know if I would have gotten out.
“The fire was right near the stairs, if I was upstairs I wouldn’t have made it out, it would have been too hot.
“The damage is pretty surreal; the whole house is pretty much gone. They’ve said we pretty much need to replace the whole house, and with no insurance that is quite hard on us as a little family trying to get through things.
“We’re just going to take it day by day at the moment, and try and see if we can get somewhere else, see what’s going to happen and try and find out whether it was accidental or it was on purpose by someone first, so we can at least find out how much money we’re going to have in the end after all of this to be able to do what we can with it.
“It was all taken away in the blink of an eye.”
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