PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
Members of the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company and other responders on Friday work to put out a blaze on the 100 block of East Martin Street. The Red Cross treated two adults and two children, and crews were able to rescue a puppy trapped in the home.

By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer

(Nov. 22, 2018) Fires cinged two homes over the weekend on East and West Martin Streets in Snow Hill, but a bright spot in the blaze came with the rescue of a pit bull puppy.

Lt. Michael Creech, of the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company, said several crews went to a home on the 100 block of East Martin Street at around 10:35 p.m. on Nov. 16, and “the first crew knocked the fire out within 15 minutes.”

Firefighter Andrew Benson searched the house and found a pit bull puppy hiding underneath a bed.

Benson said another dog was able to escape the flames, but the “puppy was young and kind of disoriented … and was just kind of huddled under the bed.”

He was able to rescue the dog, and Creech said other firefighters and emergency personell were able to save the puppy, who was eventually able to breath on his own.

“After I found the dog, I was just so excited … and once we got it back to normal, I just wanted to get it back to the family,” Benson said.

Following the fire, two adults and two children were helped by the Red Cross, Creech said. The cause of the fire on East Martin Street was unclear.

A second fire occured about 16 hours later just yards away, according to a Facebook post from the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company.

Crews went to the house on the 300 block of West Martin Street around 2:21 p.m. on Nov. 17. Creech said there was “smoke coming out of the dwelling and fire in rear” of the building.

Crews then worked to extinguish the flames. Creech said a man was displaced, but there were no injuries reported in the fire.

It’s unclear how the fire started or if any criminal charges were filed, but Creech said the Snow Hill Police Department and Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating.

The Bayside Gazette/Ocean City Today contacted the organizations, but they couldn’t be reached for comment as of press time, Tuesday morning.