Pocatello Fire Department, with the assistance of Pocatello Police Department, responded to a house near Jerome and Michael Street for a residential fire this morning, successfully rescuing two elderly individuals and a dog.
At approximately 12:39 a.m., dispatch received a call from a female who appeared to be having difficulty breathing. During the call, a fire alarm could be heard activated in the background, and the caller subsequently became unresponsive. Dispatch attempted to re-establish contact but was unsuccessful, prompting a full response from police, fire, and EMS.
Pocatello Police officers were the first to arrive on scene, locating an unresponsive elderly female inside a smoke-filled residence. Officers quickly removed her from the house and began rendering aid until EMS arrived. An elderly male was also located in the house and assisted out by fire department personnel. Both individuals were transported to Portneuf Medical Center for treatment.
Fire crews located the source of the fire in the basement of the residence and were able to quickly extinguish it. A dog was also rescued from the home, provided oxygen by firefighters, and transported to an animal shelter for veterinary evaluation.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damages are estimated to be approximately $50,000.