Neighbors Rescue Child from Fire; Sadly, Dog Does Not Survive

Smoke covers the face of a man who was involved in the fire today as he holds the child who had smoke inhalation on his lap while they are loaded into an ambulance. [Photo by Mark McKenna]

On 10/26/2021 @ 1022hrs, Humboldt Bay Fire was dispatched to a Recreational Vehicle on Fire with a 4-year-old child trapped at 2600 Sixth St in Eureka (Shoreline RV Park). 4 Engines and 1 Battalion Chief responded. Engine 8114 from Station 4, located at Myrtle Ave and West Ave reported black smoke visible from their station upon responding and arrived on scene first within 3 minutes of the call. E8114 reported a fully involved 30 ft. motor home. While preparing to enter the motor home to search for the reported trapped child, neighbors reported the child was already removed from the motor home by neighbors.

The fire was controlled in 10 minutes and the motor home was a total loss with damage estimated at $15,000. The fire originated in the rear bedroom of the Recreational Vehicle and following an investigation, the cause of the fire is undetermined. There were a total of 3 civilian injuries: the child suffered smoke inhalation and 2 adults suffered minor smoke inhalation and cuts to their hands. All 3 were treated on scene by City Ambulance then transport to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka.

While extinguishing the fire a dog and cat were located inside the burning motor home and both animals were removed by Firefighters. The cat was uninjured and the dog was unresponsive. Firefighters on scene began CPR and administered oxygen to the dog.

The Incident Commander contacted the Myrtle Ave Veterinary Clinic and the dog was transported by the Fire Chief and a Firefighter performing CPR to the Veterinary Clinic. Despite the resuscitative efforts of Firefighters on scene and the staff at the Myrtle Ave Veterinary Clinic, the dog did not survive.

St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Room Staff contacted the Red Cross to assist the occupants of the motor home with temporary shelter, clothing and other basic needs.

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to thank City Ambulance, PG&E, the Emergency Room Staff at St. Joseph Hospital, the Myrtle Ave. Veterinary Clinic and the Emma Zen Foundation for donating animal CPR and Oxygen masks to Fire Departments throughout California.

Humboldt Bay Firefighters are formally trained in pet CPR and all Humboldt Bay Fire apparatus are equipped with pet Oxygen and CPR masks thanks to a continuous donation of masks from the Emma Zen Foundation. For more information please visit the Emma Zen Foundation at https://www.emmazenfoundation.org/.

Earlier: RV on Fire in North Eureka