By Robert Salonga
The San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Firefighters revived two dogs in the midst of battling an intense house fire that displaced nearly 20 people east of downtown Thursday afternoon, according to the San Jose Fire Department.
The two-alarm fire was first reported at 1:38 p.m. at a three-story duplex on East William Street near South 18th Street, fire Capt. Christopher Salcido said, adding that no one was home when the fire broke out.
A contingent of firefighters that eventually increased to 40 arrived to see heavy smoke and flames emanating from the home’s garage, Salcido said. They brought the fire under control within a half hour.
Firefighters pulled two medium-sized poodle-terrier mixes from the burning home and successfully resuscitated them, Salcido said. SJFD members are specially trained to perform life-saving efforts on canine victims -- complete with a practice dog mannequin -- with the program referred to internally as “C-P-aRf.”
No firefighters were injured. Salcido said initial reports indicate that 19 people have been displaced by the fire.
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