The swift actions of Appalachian Power line mechanics Chanze Gilbert and Trent Schoonover proved to be life saving for a friendly pup living next door to the Point Pleasant Service Center in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
On a cold day in February, Gilbert and Schoonover were bundled up to brave the freezing temperatures and walking across the service center lot when they spotted smoke pouring out of the neighbor’s yard.
They immediately dropped what they were doing, rushed to the fence dividing the two properties and found that the neighbor’s doghouse had caught on fire. Thankfully, the dog was not inside the house at the time of the fire, but the terrified pup was chained near the doghouse and trying to escape.
Gilbert jumped the fence and cut the chain to remove the dog from the area while Schoonover ran to his vehicle to get a fire extinguisher to put out the fire before it spread further.
After the fire was extinguished, they investigated and found that the fire was caused by a heat lamp igniting straw which was insulating the doghouse.
When District System Supervisor Leon Brotsky heard about the rescue, he wasn’t surprised. “I know these men well and this is just in their character. They care about each other and their fellow man,” Brotsky said. “I’m just very thankful they were at the right place at the right time and we were able to lend a hand to our neighbors and get our four-legged friend moved to safety.”
The homeowners were thankful for the quick actions of Gilbert and Schoonover. They expressed their sincere appreciation with a basket of goodies for the line mechanics.