“He saved a lot of lives. He saved everybody’s homes last night,” Christensen said.
Teddy’s owner Karen Christensen says he’s typically a quiet dog, so last night when Teddy started barking, she knew something was wrong.
“He starts barking and then I noticed a glow, an orange glow and I said there’s something going on out there and we looked and we see flames,” Christensen said.
That’s when Christensen noticed the RV, just yards from the house, was on fire.
“Even before we got there we saw a glow. Huge orange glow that was coming down the road,” Jennifer Vetter, volunteer firefighter and Administrative Assistant to the Board of Directors, said.
When the Williams Rural Fire Protection District responded Tuesday night, flames had already reached over 30 feet tall.
“We came upon the structure and it was fully involved and heavy flames going into the wild land,” Lt. Oskar Sundel, Williams Fire, said.
“Motor home was basically a total loss,” Cpt. Rick Vetter, Williams Fire, said.
With the trailer surrounded by trees and other homes, crews had to act fast to keep the fire from spreading in the dry conditions.
“If it would have been five, ten minutes later. God only knows what would have happened,” Christensen said.
“It could have been a lot worse,” Cpt. Vetter said.
Eight firefighters, two engines and a water tender knocked down the flames within a few hours. But a day after the fire, all anyone can seem to talk about is the little hero.
“To hear that an animal was able to notify, you know, someone to look and see and get the call,” Cpt. Vetter said.
Because of tiny Teddy’s heroic actions, Williams Fire has a treat waiting for him at the station.
“He’s well deserved of a bone after this,” Cpt. Vetter said.
Luckily, there was no one in the trailer at the time of the fire and no one was hurt. Williams fire was also joined by Applegate Valley Fire. The cause is still under investigation.
Anna Weeks is a multimedia journalist for NBC5 News. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Oregon State University with a degree in Digital Communication Arts and a minor in writing. Previously, she interned with the National Association of Broadcasters at the NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Originally from the Portland area, Anna is excited to explore Southern Oregon. In her free time, she can be found reading, running or watching sports.
