3 out of 5 dogs rescued from North Myrtle Beach two-alarm house fire; investigation underway

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – Two dogs lost their lives during a house fire on Monday in North Myrtle Beach.

Donald Graham, the spokesman for the city of North Myrtle Beach, said that crews were called around 11 a.m. to the 1700 block of 26th Avenue North near the Intracoastal Waterway to a two-story home.

“Crews encountered zero visibility and high heat conditions with a rapidly progressing fire through the attic space of the home,” the North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue posted.

A second alarm went out and Horry County Fire Rescue was brought in to help.

Graham said all the people inside the home got out of the house, but there were five dogs inside.

He said the homeowner, a neighbor and a firefighter with North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue were able to rescue three of the dogs. The other two dogs died after life-saving operations were performed on them.

A neighbor Michael Hagopian knew how much these dogs were loved in the community.

“I’m devastated. It hurts me as much s it hurts them. They are like our pets too. Every time I’m in the yard, they’ll come out and they’ll greet me, and they will do their little barking, you know,” said Hagopian.

One person inside the home was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation, Graham said.

About 30 firefighters from North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue and Horry County Fire Rescue were able to get the fire under control in about 15 minutes. Crews stayed on the scene until 3:30 p.m. to monitor hot spots.

Some neighbors started lending a hand to the family by offering comfort, clothing, food, and shelter while they went through a time of need.

“Our neighborhood is pretty tight; we look out for each other,” said Hagopian “Our doors are open for whatever they need. We are more than glad to help them out in this case.”

An investigation is underway into what caused the fire.

The Myrtle Beach Fire Department and Calabash Fire Department provided coverage for the city of North Myrtle Beach while crews worked on the scene.

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