Story By: Elena Kalioglo, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

Video Credit: CEN/GU EMERCOM of Russia in the Kostroma region

This is the moment a firefighter uses his oxygen mask to save the life of a dog caught in a house blaze that had stopped breathing because of the smoke.

The drama played out on Deputatskaya Street in the historic city of Kostroma, located on the Volga River in Russia’s Kostroma Oblast region.

The firemen got the call saying that there was a fire on the ground floor of a three-story stone building at 9am on Friday, 27th September, and they arrived to find a sofa had caught fire.

They were able to quickly extinguish the fire but the smoke from the burning furniture had filled the property and a cat and two dogs had to be carried from the smoke-filled room in the firemen’s arms.

The cat and one dog recovered quickly but the other dog, a mini-terrier, had breathed too much smoke during the fire, and had stopped breathing.

The firefighter however managed to resuscitate the tiny dog using his oxygen mask.

Ministry of Emergency Situations EMERCOM employees said eight people were evacuated from the property unharmed including a woman, and a boy with a leg in a cast.

Online commentators slammed the flat owner for leaving the animals alone. ‘Olga Ryabova’ said: “Poor dog! Irresponsible owners!”

And ‘Ira Kurdova was one of many that praised the fireman saying: “Firefighters are great! Heroes! They have a noble profession!”

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