Firefighters are everyday heroes, always protecting local citizens from danger — whether they be human or animal. That’s what one fire team proved, after they went the extra mile to save a husky dog who got trapped in a burning apartment building.

On Sunday June 6, the Virginia Beach Fire Department responded to a call about a fire in a high-rise apartment building. They needed to get any remaining occupants safely out of the building, but all those extra floors made their job a lot more complicated.

“You have the battle just going up the stairs, to begin with,” firefighter Cody Brenon told WAVY. “You don’t have to normally deal with that in a normal house fire.”

Brenon and firefighter Joseph DePalma entered the building, and found it filled with smoke.

In their search, they found someone unconscious in a 15th-floor apartment: a Siberian husky dog. His owners weren’t there.

Thankfully he was still alive, but was completely limp and not breathing. He was in desperate need of oxygen, so the fire crew picked him up to carry him out of the building.

Transporting a big, 100-pound husky down all those flights of stairs was no easy task: “I was hoping it was going to be a Chihuahua,” DePalma said.

The dog, named Igor, made it out safely and was put in the care of Officer Frye and Officer McQueen of Virginia Beach Animal Control, who quickly administered oxygen with a mask. He had suffered smoke inhalation, but thankfully did not have any burns or other injuries.

After receiving oxygen, Igor quickly regained consciousness and became “alert and responsive.” His family was notified, and he was transferred to Bay Beach Vet Hospital for continued treatment.

Thankfully, things are looking good for this lucky dog: “What a successful and happy ending!” Virginia Beach Animal Control wrote on Facebook. “Igor is expected to make a full recovery.”

In addition to Igor getting out safely, the Virginia Beach Fire Department says that several other occupants were removed from the building with no reported injuries.

And Brenon & DePalma were very happy they could help save a dog’s life.

“It felt really good to know that he made it through it,” Brenon told WAVY. “That’s why I became a firefighter.”