A Douglas County deputy is getting a lot of attention after saving a dog that was trapped inside a burning vehicle in Colorado.
The incident occurred on January 22 when Deputy Michael Gregorek responded to a call about a car being on fire, 9 News reported Friday.
He was unsure what he would find but upon arrival at the scene, but he knew it was an urgent situation and heard a man say his dog was still inside the vehicle.
“He starts screaming my dog’s in the car, and that I mean flipped switch from it’s obviously not a crime, now we have a life,” Gregorek recalled during an interview with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).
Moments after exiting his own vehicle, Gregorek broke a window using his retractable baton in hopes of getting the dog, whose name is Hank, out of the burning SUV.
When he learned the pup might be in the back part of the vehicle, he went to the rear and busted the window. He was finally able to grab hold of the frightened dog while his worried owner watched.
Gregorek carried the dog away from the vehicle and the pup eventually jumped out of his arms.
A photo showed the dog seconds after he landed on his feet in the snow:
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A neighbor at the scene told authorities his wife, a veterinarian, was expected to arrive home soon. When she got there, the woman assessed Hank and he received a clean bill of health.
The fire department said it believes the blaze was electrical and ignited under the dashboard or console, KKTV reported.
Social media users praised the deputy for his actions, one person writing, “Thank you Deputy Gregorek for your service and for saving Hank. Well done.”
“Deputy Gregorek you exemplify good policing!” another commented.
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