A retired Baltimore firefighter stormed a burning house in Westminster on Friday morning in an attempt to rescue a dog trapped inside.
Retired Baltimore city firefighter Mike Watson was passing by in his truck when he saw the smoke at 500 North Gorsuch Road. Watson’s first instinct was to check for people inside — then he heard barking.
With no protective equipment, Watson, who retired from firefighting 30 years ago, said he entered the house through an unlocked basement door, climbed the stairs and called out to the dog. But it never came. And heavy smoke made it impossible for Watson to search.
“I couldn’t find him,” Watson said.
Despite the efforts of Watson and others, the dog, Fred, did not survive the fire.
Fred, a Jack Russell Terrier and coonhound mix, would have been 5 years old on July 4, his owner Babette Leister said.
Arborists Joe Burley of Hampstead and Jason Blair of Westminster spotted the flames as they were driving to work.