'Lucky' dog saved from burning home in Indian River County; man in custody, suspected of setting blaze
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Firefighters saved a dog from a home engulfed in flames and filled with smoke from a blaze fire officials suspect was intentionally set by a man who took off on foot and led deputies on a brief manhunt Tuesday evening.
No one was injured, but the home in the 500 block of Caribbean Circle off Old Dixie Highway Southwest just north of Oslo Road was considered a total loss, said Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Roger Dion.
Firefighters were called to the residence about 3:30 p.m.
An Indian River County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said an investigation is underway but no information was available Tuesday night about the man apprehended by deputies that evening.
Dogs for Life: Vero Beach organization matches service dogs with veterans, disabled
More dogs saved: Indian River County family evacuated from home in kitchen fire; firefighters save 3 dogs
Protecting wildlife: Unprecedented: Officials approve feeding of starving manatees in limited trial
More local news: Foul play not suspected in death of man found in southwest Indian River County
Dion said the man was taken to Vero Beach Emergency Room off U.S. Highway 1 for an unknown medical reason.
Shortly before 6 p.m., officials were still working to get basic details about the residence since no one was home at the time of the fire. Dion said it was believed at least two people lived at the address.
After the fire was out, he said, they walked through the home to make sure no one was inside.
Dion said witnesses saw a man setting the fire and recorded it on cellphone cameras. He said he watched a recording that showed the man walking around the home with a red canister.
The video recorded by neighbors showed the west side of the home and carport erupt in a ball of flames and the man walk away and down the street.
Indian River County Animal Control officer Eric Hummel Tuesday evening said the dog’s owner was on the way to pick him up.
Fire Rescue Lt. Chris Matherly said they could hear the dog barking inside the burning home.
Matherly said no one knew the dog’s name but that “we were calling him Lucky because he was in there with heavy smoke.”
Although he never lost consciousness, “Lucky” was given oxygen and later visited with firefighters in the street outside the home.
Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 'Lucky' dog saved from burning home on Caribbean Circle in IRC
