Eugene Petrucci, mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and retired U.S. Army Captain, was hailed a Hero by the Postmaster General after saving three dogs from a burning house.
Petrucci was on his rural mail route in the Furlong section of Buckingham Township when a neighbor rushed to his truck, saying a house was on fire.
He saw smoke was coming from the attached garage of the home, without thinking about it, he started pounding on the front door and windows but no one was home. By then, the smoke was turning to fire. The former paratrooper forced his shoulder onto the door and was able to open it as two dogs came barreling out, Petrucci spotted a third dog but it was too frightened and retreated further inside.
Remembering he had dog treats in his delivery truck, he attempt to lure the third dog out with them, but wasn’t successful. The garage was now engulfed in flames. Arriving shortly afterward, firefighters were able to rescue the black Labrador named Lola, and bring the fire under control.
Petrucci acknowledged that his military training paid a role in his actions, “I’m sure of it. Airborne school and being a paratrooper teach you to ignore your fears and do what you need to do. You don’t panic.”
