Firefighters adopt pups saved from kennel fire in Ardleigh

Christopher Harris, from Great Bentley, is stationed at Essex Fire’s Colchester station.

He was part of the team which took on the fire in Slough Lane in Ardleigh earlier this month.

Chris recapped what happened on the day.

He said: “I am a blue watch firefighter and was on an additional shift on green watch, so worked with them on the fire.

“It come through as an outbuilding fire, and we didn’t know it was a kennel fire until we arrived.

“On arrival it was at least 75 per cent alight and the majority of the roof had fallen in.

“I went round to the main side on fire and my colleague James Davison went round the rear which was the partly unaffected side.

“He was told there were three puppies in there.

“He looked in a window and couldn’t see anything, so went to another window, opened it and it was like a furnace in there, so we feared the worst.

“But when he then looked through another window there was a room protected from fire spread by a door, this was where they were.

“So, James jumped in the window and performed a snatch rescue.

“Two minutes later they wouldn’t have survived.”

Following the incident, Chris went back and adopted one of the puppies which was saved on the day.

He said: “They were only 12-week-old cocker spaniels, and I just thought I’ve got to have one.

“I just thought it would be a shame for them to go anywhere else.

“I named him Harley, which is James’ nickname.

“Following that, I bought Harley in to see the watch as a surprise. Amy Nash, who is one of the girls at my watch, saw him, I told her the story and she bought one too.

“One of her relatives took the other, so they can all stay friends.

“We took them to the vets, health-wise they’re fine, but spent the first few days scared through potential trauma.

“Other than that, they’re completely fine, and it just feels right we are together after the incident.”