Firehouse.com

PHELAN, Calif. --Just after fire officials saved more than 50 animals from a Phelan rescue center, paramedics were called to help save the life of a woman across the street from the burned-out structure, San Bernardino County Fire Department officials said.

As officials were leaving the scene early Tuesday morning, someone came out of a home directly across the street from where the fire took place and said their female family member had stopped breathing.

"I was ready to go home and actually had my seat belt on," Firefighter Paramedic Danny Ward with Victorville Station 313 said. "We had to go from structure-fire mode to medical-aid mode."

Rescuers were able to quickly render medical aid and on her way to the hospital, the woman started breathing on her own, Ward said.

Since joining county fire about seven years ago, Ward said this was the first time a fire call turned into a completely separate medical aid call.

Firefighters were initially called out to a home on Rose Avenue off of Phelan Road east of Baldy Mesa Road at about 6 a.m., Jay Hausman, spokesman for the fire department said.

All the occupants of the home were able to get out of the burning residence and told rescuers there were multiple animals in the home, Hausman said.

Firefighters were able to rescue all of the animals including about 50 dogs, ferrets, turtles and fish, officials said. No one was hurt in the fire. The structure was a total loss and Hesperia Animal Control was called out to take care of the displaced animals.

Investigators determined the fire began in the home's garage and quickly spread into the attic.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service