Former Marine Rescues Petrified Pug From House Fire

It wasn’t even her neighborhood, but she reacted as if it was her own house. Police officials say a Livermore woman’s quick thinking saved a dog from a burning home Wednesday morning.

Destiny Goddu, 28, and her sister Lacie were driving in the 800 block of Keystone Way late this morning when they saw the smoke from the fire, according to police officials.

“We saw the smoke and thought we should check because we didn’t see any emergency personnel or hear any sirens,” Goddu told Patch.

The two women stopped and ran to the house, banging on the doors and windows of the home. Although there was no answer, Goddu, a former Marine Corps Sergeant, was worried the home was still occupied.

“I didn’t know if someone was trapped, sleeping or if they maybe had a heart attack while cooking,” Goddu said. “I had to make sure everyone had gotten out.”

Goddu ran to the backyard and opened the rear sliding glass door.

“The house was filled with smoke, but I could see something moving.” Goddu said.

After calling inside the home, a terrified pug ran toward Goddu but then fled back into the house. Without hesitating, Goddu ran into the smoke-filled home and rescued the family pet.

“The dog was coughing, spitting and shaking,” Goddu said.

Fire officials say a next-door neighbor saw the fire and called 911. No one else was home at the time of the fire.

“The fire was extinguished within the first 50 minutes,” Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Battalion Chief Michael Miller said. “Most of the fire was burning the original wood shingles that were underneath the metal roof; making it difficult to access. Crews had to remove the entire metal roof to completely extinguish this fire.”

Goddu, who recently enrolled in the Veterans Engineering Program at Las Positas College and was supposed to be participating in the Veterans Day events at school, instead stayed and guarded the dog until the owner returned.

“She was frantic and said she had to go inside to get her dog,” Goddu said. “I told her I had the dog.”

Despite the happy outcome, fire officials urge caution and warn against entering a burning home to save an animal.

“We do not recommend that anyone enter a burning home to rescue a pet, but remain at the front of the residence to give the information to the first arriving fire engine,” Miller said.

Goddu says she would want someone to do the same for her and that the fire is a good reminder of how quickly things can take a turn for the worse.

“You never know what life has in store,” Goddu told Patch. “So quickly it can all go up in smoke.”

No one was injured during the blaze. Damage to the home is estimated at $470,000 and the cause of the fire is under investigation, fire officials said.

See Also:

• Firefighters Battle Blaze in Livermore Home

Photos 1,2 courtesy Livermore Police. Photo 3 contributed.