SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. -
The doggie daycare bus that caught fire yesterday and killed one of the pups inside got many of us talking. That's when we first told you about the story. Well, we wanted to find out more about the dogs, and what the doggie daycare plans to do from here.
All of the employees, including the driver of that bus are still shook up today. But they're starting to move forward, they even had about a hundred dogs back at daycare today, and they plan to get a new bus.
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Incredible cell phone video was shot New Year's Day of the Gulliver's Doggie Daycare bus up in flames.
"Sad, I think is the biggest emotion we're feeling right now, kind of in shock," Gulliver's Doggie Daycare General Manager Amanda Poquette said.
The recently inspected bus exploded from some kind of mechanical problem. Normally ten dogs are picked up and ride the bus to daycare in kennels, because Monday was a holiday, only two dogs were on board.
"Everyone who brings their dogs here, they're members of the family," Poquette said.
The name of the dog who died hasn't been released, but it was a young terrier.
"Just a happy, go-lucky little guy, sometimes we'd have a hard time bringing him in, he'd just want to be outside playing with his buddies, it's pretty horrible to lose him," Poquette added.
This three year old lab-boxer mix, Rufus survived. Rufus stayed overnight at the vet and is resting now, but 70 of his other pals made it to doggie daycare.
The bus driver didn't want to do an on camera interview, but the scrapes and burns on his hands were visible. He told me he did everything he could to save those dogs. Police say the bus drivers jacket and hat were completely melted.
"We couldn't have asked for more from him, he's just a wonderful man," Poquette said.
Although tragic, from the looks of the bus, it could have been a lot worse and since the fire, there's been an outpouring of support for the two and four legged friends.
Gulliver's Doggie Daycare plans to get a new bus, and continue their pick up's and drop off's.
I'm told the owner of the dog who died is devastated, but understanding.
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The bus driver wasn't the only hero who attempted to rescue the dogs, and get slightly injured.
A bystander and a South Burlington police officer were also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Officer Dan Boyer's training kicked in.
He attempted to enter the burning bus, used a fire extinguisher to put out flames and searched for any more dogs. The South Burlington fire department ultimately put out the blaze.
"With the type of fire it was, electrical and the bus with the plastic seats, there was just a lot of unfamiliar smells and it just affected me a little, but I'm fine now," Officer Boyer said.
Police are still working to find out just what caused the fire.
