Tragedy struck in a residential property in Michigan.

Smoke violently belched out from every opening of the house. The thick columns of gasses and vapors filled the interior, but luckily the people inside were all evacuated safely.

However, as the firefighters wrestled to put out the flames, they realized that another victim was still in the structure. He had nowhere to run and the smoke was quickly suffocating anyone or anything left inside the house.

Ace, a German shepherd dog was trapped on the second floor.

“After stretching water hand lines and beginning fire suppression the 95lbs German Shepard named Ace appeared in a second-story rear bedroom window,” The Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department said in their Facebook post.

While millions of American families own a pet, pet deaths related to house fires are not readily available. However, this doesn’t mean that our household furry friends aren’t at risk.

Animal deaths from fires are mostly from asphyxiation or suffocating because unlike humans who can readily evacuate away from the fire, some animals run deeper into the house and hide.

The firefighters quickly placed a ladder by the window.

They tried to beckon Ace to come to them but the German shepherd wouldn’t relent. With the fire getting much worse with every passing second, the firefighters tried to reach the dog via the ladder access they had put up. All the while, Ace’s owners kept on calling out to him and encouraging him to go to the firefighters.

When their approach proved ineffective, a team with breathing gear was sent in and made their way to the bedroom. There, they found Ace on the ground. He was unresponsive.

The team carried Ace towards the window.

Then, they passed him to the team outside where the dog was carefully carried to ground level. The dog had already passed out from lack of oxygen. If they waited any longer, the situation was bound to get worse.

In the past, firefighters were not equipped to resuscitate animals. Most of their gear and apparatus are designed for human use. Luckily, through different initiatives, oxygen masks for animals are becoming more available.

The masks come in different sizes and are bell-shaped. The mask’s shape helps fit snuggly around an animal’s snout. These masks were originally developed for veterinary use. Seeing the need and effectiveness, the masks were redesigned for rescue uses as well.

Once on the ground, the firefighters administered oxygen to Ace.

Lucky for Ace and the firefighters, Dr. Lelli from the Animal Clinic of Muskegon had donated masks that can help rescuers in situations like these.

Ace’s condition stabilized enough to be transferred to the said clinic. When Ace recovered, he was taken back to the scene to meet the heroes who saved him.

As for pet owners, the firefighters gave a very important piece of advice.

“Going back inside for your pets is a bad idea and we understand they are family too,” they said in their Facebook post. “We will always do our best to rescue pets so we remind everyone not to go back inside.”

The department also shared that all of the residents of the building and response personnel were safe.

Watch how this device, specifically designed for animals, saved Ace’s life.

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Source: Facebook – Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department, NBC, CBS 8, MLive