By Finn Lincoln
syracuse.com
RICHLAND, N.Y. – Two Oswego County fire chiefs rescued a man and a woman Monday night after the couple went back into their burning home trying to save the family dog.
Ringgold Fire Company Chief Justin Crowl said when he arrived around 7 p.m., he saw the woman go into the building at 298 Lehigh Road in Richland. Then the husband went in after her, he said.
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Crowl said he found the couple incapacitated from the smoke inside the home.
Richland Fire Chief Dustin Woods said he and Crowl were the first on the scene and were able to get the couple out.
“Another 3, 5 minutes and the outcome would have been much worse,” Crowl said Tuesday. “This could have been a double fatality fire.”
The dog survived too, Crowl said, having escaped the fire on its own.
The man and the woman sustained minor injuries and smoke inhalation but were treated at the scene, firefighters said.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries after snow from the roof fell on him, Crowl said.
The Ringgold Fire Company was conducting a company-wide training when someone reported the fire, so they had multiple crews on scene in minutes.
Firefighters remained on scene until 1 a.m., Crowl said.
The house is totaled, with the cause of the fire still under investigation, firefighters said.
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