FLORIDA TODAY (Melbourne, Australia) 02 July 07 Family OK, snake saved after fire guts home (Megan Downs)
Photo: Snake saver. Satellite Beach fire fighter Jay Dragon gives oxygen to “Mia,” a three-year old pet snake that was rescued from the fire. Mia’s owner, Kayla Bowles. (Megan Downs)
Indian Harbour Beach: Five people evacuated from an Indian Harbour Beach home and a snake was rescued Monday night after a fire started in a bedroom.
The home, at the corner of Golden Beach Boulevard and Genoa Street, just blocks away from State Road A1A, was engulfed in flames at about 8 p.m. No one was injured.
Firefighters from Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and Indialantic responded to the blaze.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but the home is severely damaged, according to fire officials. Back bedrooms were destroyed. The family will be staying with friends tonight. It’s unknown when they will be able to return home.
“The flames were just too big,” said Kayla Bowles who lives in the home. “We got the kids out and grabbed the dog.”
Nearly a half-hour after the flames had been extinguished, firefighters pulled a three-year old pet snake named Mia from a room that had received heavy smoke damage.
Firefighters were unsure if the snake was alive, but began to give it oxygen from a portable container made for reviving animals.
“We’ve done this for dogs, cats, several different animals,” said Satellite Beach firefighter Jay Dragon. “We weren’t sure if it would work.”
But after several minutes Mia began to move its head and flick its tongue.
“I can’t watch. I hate snakes,” said Patricia Snodgrass, Bowles’ aunt who came to help with the fire. “But I am glad that it’s OK.”
Family OK, snake saved after fire guts home