IT TOOK fifteen fire fighters to drag an enormous bullmastiff from a burning building last weekend.
A second floor flat caught fire after the bullmastiff's owners left food cooking on the hob and went out. The food set fire, which caught some tea towels near the cooker before the spreading to the kitchen curtains.
A London Fire Brigade (LFB) spokesman said three fire engines were called to the fire in a detached building in Park Road at around 9pm on Saturday 20.
Neighbours realised there was a fire and called the fire brigade after hearing the flat's fire alarm and smelling burning.
Three fire engines were sent to the scene. Crews in breathing apparatus were inside the flat putting out the fire in the kitchen when they came across the huge black bullmastiff.
The LFB spokesman said the dog was four foot long and two feet high and "scared the life out of the fire fighters".
He said: "There was heavy smoke when crews went in to find the fire, and they came face to face with a whopping great bullmastiff looking down at them."
It took all 15 fire fighters to coax and shepherd the dog from the building before a police dog handler was called to take it to a vet to be treated for smoke inhalation.
The spokesman warned people never to leave cooking unattended and to make sure there is a working fire alarm in the building. Anyone who does not have a fire alarm can contact their local fire station who will fit one for them.
Noone was hurt and the residents form the other two flats in the building were able to go back after the fire had been put out.
