One Dog Dies in Fire While Another is Saved

Orange County firefighters and a sheriff's sergeant rescued a dog from a blaze in a home in the Leisure World retirement community in Laguna Woods Friday, but another canine perished.

The firefighters responded at 1:42 p.m. to a blaze at a one-story home in the 5400 block of Paseo Del Lago West, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

A contractor working next door -- Lance Reed -- smelled smoke and heard dogs barking so he called authorities and tried to douse the flames with a garden hose, Concialdi said.

There was no one home at the time of the blaze.

When firefighters arrived, Reed told them about the dogs, prompting the first-responders to kick down a door and drag out Kiki, a 12-year-old mini- American Eskimo, and Lexie, an 11-year-old cocker spaniel, Concialdi said.

While Orange County sheriff's Sgt. Brian Sims did chest compressions on the canines, paramedics used oxygen masks to try to get the pets breathing, Concialdi said.

Kiki "started coming around after a few minutes," but the rescue workers were unable to revive Lexie, Concialdi said.

The blaze caused about $62,000 in damage to the structure and about $40,000 in damage to the contents, Concialdi said.

Kiki was taken to an around-the-cock veterinary hospital, Concialdi said.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation.

-- City News Service