Alicia Witt was at her nursing job when a friend called with news no homeowner ever wants to hear. Her Bedford County house was on fire, and her two dogs were still trapped inside.
The fire broke out the morning of March 3 in the 10000 block of Goodview Road. While the family is safe, the blaze destroyed their belongings and claimed the lives of their two Dobermans.
Neighbors attempted a desperate rescue
Witt’s friend, Emily, was the first to arrive at the scene. Witt told her to do whatever was necessary to save the animals. Emily and another neighbor tried to pry open a door and break a window to reach the dogs.
They saw the two Dobermans, including a 13-month-old named Jacks, attempting to run down the stairs. However, the smoke was too thick for the animals to escape. When the window was opened, the influx of oxygen caused the flames to intensify. Both dogs died from smoke inhalation.
“The hardest part for all of us has been the loss of our dogs,” Witt said. “My husband and Jacks were absolute best friends. It has been a very emotional time for us.”
A home turned to ash
Firefighters from several companies responded to the one-and-a-half-story home. By the time they arrived, flames were visible from the back corner of the structure. Insurance investigators later deemed the house a total loss…