Emergency responders carry dog from burning Greensburg home

Firefighters rescued Zeus and Oliver, a Rottweiler and tabby cat, from a two-story Greensburg home that caught fire Wednesday afternoon.

City fireman Jim Fontana found the dog near the front door of the house at 79202 Jefferson Ave. and pulled him out of the smoke-filled structure, Greensburg Fire Chief Tom Bell said. The dog was given oxygen with a pet mask, Bell said.

A firefighter, Mutual Aid Ambulance personnel and a Greensburg police officer carried the dog from the house on the scorched front door of the house to a waiting truck, before taking both pets to All Pets Hospital in Greensburg, Bell said.

Katie Allison, a veterinary technician at the hospital, confirmed Zeus and Oliver were in stable condition, sustaining minor injuries from the fire.

The fire, which was reported at 2:40 p.m., appeared to have started on the second floor of the house, which sustained heavy smoke and water damage, Bell said.

Although the resident was not home at the time of the fire, Bell said he saw two vehicles parked alongside the house when he arrived. There was heavy smoke in the second floor as firefighters searched the structure to see if anyone was inside, Bell said.

Firefighters had the blaze knocked down within 28 minutes of arriving, Bell said.

The cause of the fire will be investigated by Greensburg police.

The man who lived at the house declined to comment. Sharon Fix owns the property, according to documents filed with the Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds.