Firefighters Rush Husky Down 15 Flights Of Stairs To Safety

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — A Siberian husky dog that was rescued from an apartment building in Virginia Beach on Sunday has given two firefighters a renewed love for their work.

The rescue of Igor, the pup that was found alone and unconscious on the 15th floor of the Mayflower apartment complex on 34th Street, is “why I became a firefighter,” Cody Brenon, one of two firefighters who teamed to carry Igor down 15 flights of stairs, told WAVY.

“I’m going to guess he was 100 pounds,” Brenon told the news channel. “He was a big husky.”

The firefighter carried the husky down the stairs for a few flights before handing him off to Joseph DePalma, another Virginia Beach firefighter, who carried the dog down to the ground level and outside to safety, according to WAVY.

“I was hoping it was going to be a Chihuahua just based on being on the 15th floor of an apartment building, so I didn’t think I’d be carrying a big husky down the stairs,” DePalma said.

DePalma told WAVY Igor wasn’t breathing, and “very limp” on the way down the stairs. The dog suffered some smoke inhalation but no burns, and is expected to make a full recovery, iHeart Dogs reported.

Special oxygen masks were used outside to help Igor breathe and regain consciousness.

“We all picked the dog up on the stretcher and threw him in the back of our nice new vehicles,” Virginia Beach Animal Control Officer Christine McQueen told WAVY.

Igor's family, who wasn't home at the time of the fire, is thankful for the firefighters' work and relieved their pup is going to be fine, according to iHeart Dogs.