Child With Special Needs Rescued From House Fire In California

A child with special needs was rescued from a house fire in California this week, along with a family dog, officials said.

The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District said firefighters responded to a report of a house fire on the 1300 block of N. Valencia Avenue in the City of San Bernardino at around 11:15 a.m. Monday, and arrived to find the one-story residence “well involved” with fire and smoke.

Residents alerted firefighters that their special-needs daughter was still trapped inside the home, so they “shifted their strategy” from fire suppression to search and rescue.

A video shared by the fire department shows the moment firefighters inside the home pass the girl through a bedroom window to firefighters waiting outside.

The girl was transported to a local hospital and was reported to be in “serious but stable” condition, fire officials said.

Firefighters also rescued a family dog before extinguishing the flames. The fire department said seven engines, one truck company, one medic squad and three chief officers — 30 personnel in total — were deployed to the scene.

“This incident underscores the effectiveness of rigorous training, teamwork, and the enhanced staffing levels implemented in the City of San Bernardino,” the fire department said. “Last year, staffing levels were increased to four personnel on all trucks, and an additional medic squad was added. These enhancements were crucial during this response, as the captain from the assigned truck was able to perform the rescue and hand off the child to the medic squad, who provided immediate emergency medical care.”