116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Mother, teen help save pets in Oxford mobile home fire
A mother and her teen son are being credited with helping to save pets from injury in an Oxford mobile home fire.
Diane Chaloupka and her son Collin, 17, were unloading groceries from their car at the Parkview Mobile Home Court near Oxford Monday afternoon when Collin spotted smoke coming from a mobile home three streets over, where family friend Deb Starbuck lives.
Collin ran over to the mobile home, while his mother called 911. When the two arrived arrived, they saw a corner of the mobile home was on fire and the exterior was melting.
Knowing there were pets in the home, Collin kicked in the door while his mother managed to call one of the three chihuahua puppies to her.
Oxford firefighters arrived to put to out the blaze and found three puppies and the family cat alive and well.
Diane said she's proud of her son and said Starbuck is grateful to her neighbors.
Oxford firefighters were called to the Parkview Mobile Home Park near Oxford Tuesday afternoon. No one was home when the fire started. The cause is unknown at this time. (Clark Cahill/The Gazette)
Deb Starbuck holds her three teacup chihuahua puppies Scooter, Izzy, and Road Block that were rescued from her burning mobile home Monday afternoon at the Parkview Mobile Home in Oxford. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)
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