First Posted: 1/27/2015
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — The occupants of a trailer risked their lives Monday afternoon to save their pets, a move firefighters are warning is too dangerous to do.
Andrew and Aubrey Cavanaugh continued to go in and out of their trailer at 1643 W. Breese Road, Lot 14 to rescue pets. As firefighters arrived they still were going in, said Platoon Chief Matt Briggs.
“Don’t go back in for them. People are more important than pets. I know pets are part of our family but you can’t risk your lives for your pets. It can happen so fast,” Brigg said.
The death of a family member, such as a father to young children, would have a lot more effect on a family than losing a family pet, Brigg said.
The fire spread fast and half the trailer was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived to the call placed at 4:43 p.m., Briggs said.
“They were one pet away from being trapped in there,” he said.
Luckily, no one was injured and the pets got out, Brigg said.
The trailer was a complete loss. A damage estimate was placed at $15,000. The cause of the fire appeared to be an electrical problem, Briggs said.
