COVENTRY — A man was rescued from his home in Coventry after he passed out trying to save his dogs during a house fire early Thursday morning.
At around 2:00 a.m. the Newport City Fire Department was dispatched to a fully involved structure fire on Main Street.
While en-route the fire department learned that a resident, identified as Douglas Rounsevelle, was still inside the home.
Capt. Kevin Lacoss and firefighter Ryan Abel found Rounsevelle passed out on the kitchen floor and managed to pull him out to safety.
He was transported to North Country Hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation and a few other minor injuries.
State police say that after getting out, Rounsevelle re-entered the building to try and rescue his three dogs. All three dogs died in the fire, but authorities say that some cats managed to escape.
“The amount of fire throughout the house made it difficult to gain entry, so defensive operations were done to extinguish the fire,” a statement issued by the Newport City Fire Department reads.
The fire was under control by 4:00 a.m. and fully extinguished at 11:30 a.m.
The Orleans Fire Department and Irasburg Fire Department were called in for mutual aid.
There is no word as to what caused the fire, but it is not deemed to be suspicious at this time.
