Tennessee Dog Rescue Leads to Arrest

April 18, 2003
A massive west Nashville fire puts residents and firemen in jeapordy. But the drama didn't end with the flames at the Premier West Apartments.
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A massive west Nashville fire puts residents and firemen in jeapordy. But the drama didn't end with the flames at the Premier West Apartments.

The fire broke out around dinner time on Wednesday, but crews were there well into the night. Flames were first spotted in a central apartment, but it took only seconds to spread across the entire complex residents in nearby buildings were also evacuated, as neighbors looked on with fear and disbelief.

And there was an additional struggle, low water pressure, frustrating firefighters and causing a slight delay.

Many living there told us they had animals still trapped inside. One man made a bold rescue of his dog. Scaling a wall as firefighters chased him, he grabbed a hook pole to break the sliding glass door.

After quickly disappearing, he came outside with his dog. He did this despite repeated warnings to stay out of the building.

The two were able to jump to safety, but his problems weren't over. Police were waiting for Jarrod Martin. The 24-year-old was handcuffed soon after his daring rescue.

Martin was cited for disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment.

Police spokesman Don Aaron says Jarrod Martin risked his own life and that of others Wednesday night. He crossed a safety line and climbed to his second floor apartment, then broke a window so the dog could escape. The rescue was successful, and Martin sustained only a minor cut.

The fire displaced 16 families who lived in a building of the Premier West Apartments, but Martin was the only one injured. Aaron says Martin could have caused a "backdraft" explosion by breaking the window. That could have critically injured or killed firefighters and himself.

Aaron also says Martin was told that firefighters would attempt to rescue the dog. Investigators are still looking for the source of the fire.

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