Firefighters rescue dog after 20 minutes of mouth-to-snout resuscitation (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Firefighter Andrew Klein got down on all fours and braved the flames and smoke at an apartment fire in Santa Monica to rescue a trapped and frightened 10-year-old on Tuesday. Nalu, a Bichon Frise, Shih Tzu mix was found in critical condition.

When the dog’s owner, Crystal Lamirande, a 35-year-old radiology nurse, came home that afternoon, a neighbor informed her that a fire had broken out in her apartment and the fire brigade was on the way.

When the fire department arrived, the heroic fireman Klein sprang into action.

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“He was totally lifeless,” Klein said, as cited by the AP. “I picked him up and ran out of the apartment because time is key, especially with a small dog… Failure was not an option.”

“His eyes were glazed over and he was not breathing and I assumed he was dead,” Lamirande said, adding, “The firefighter said ‘I’m a positive person. Let’s just get him back.’”

After a tense 20 minutes of mouth-to-snoot resuscitation and belly rubs, firefighters managed to lead Nalu back across the rainbow bridge to the hospital where he spent the next 24 hours in an oxygen chamber to help him recover.

He has now been reunited with an eternally grateful Lamirande and is back at home, delighted to be alive.

“He was essentially dead, so to see him kissing people and walking around wagging his tail was definitely a good feeling,” Klein said.