By Leila Merrill
MUNHALL, Pa. — Homestead volunteer firefighter James “Moe” Mosser was out for lunch when he got a call Wednesday saying that his own home was on fire, WPXI reported.
“I was scared,” he said.
Mosser hurried home to try to find his puppy, Rhonin. When he arrived, he saw other firefighters on the scene.
“We grabbed the garden hose, and we were able to get into the kitchen just far enough to get my puppy out,” Mosser told the TV station. “It was a great feeling as soon as I saw his head poke through that smoke.”
The dog may have turned the stove on, setting the fire.
“The pads of his feet are completely burned off, and he does have a couple burns on his legs,” Mosser added. “The vet told me there’s no major burns on the rest of his torso or head, and he also suffered smoke inhalation.”
Rhonin is recovering at a veterinary facility.
According to a GoFundMe account set up by his fellow firefighters, Mosser’s hands were burned in the fire, and he does not have homeowner’s insurance or pet insurance.
“Moe knows we’ll do anything that he needs, said Homestead Fire Captain Steve Schwab. “He’s genuinely a really good guy, and everyone loves him.”
Mosser is now dealing with fire from a different perspective than usual.
“When I get called to a fire, we go in, put the fire out, and we leave,” Mosser said. “There’s not much after thought on our part. Unfortunately, I’m on the other side of this today.”