LAWRENCE COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Lawrence County deputy is being hailed a hero after rushing into a burning home to rescue a family cat.

According to the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department, a fire broke out at a home along Beasley Road just after 4 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.

When Deputy Bret Burleson arrived, he reportedly observed flames shooting through the roof of the residence and heard the smoke detectors blaring.

As Burleson made his way to the front door, the homeowner approached him through a dark layer of smoke.

Bodycam footage obtained by News 2 shows the moments Burleson and the homeowner went back into the burning home to find a four-legged resident.

"I can hear him meowing," Burleson told the homeowner as they entered the house.

As seen on video, the men moved to a bedroom near the back of the home and flipped over a bed where the cat was last seen.

"He went that way," the homeowner pointed out to the deputy before the frightened orange cat was found in a corner of the bedroom.

Burleson could be seen tucking the family pet under his arm like a football as the men made a hasty retreat to fresh air.

From the outside, a second deputy can be heard yelling for the men to get out. Once they arrived outside, the homeowner grabbed the cat from Burleson and thanked him.

After pacing and coughing a couple of times, video showed Burleson turned to his fellow deputies, stating, "I'm a cat guy."

Moments later, bodycam footage revealed just how dangerous the scene had become as the entire rear of the house resembled a ball of fire.

"To be honest, we don't think about safety in those situations," Lawrence County Sheriff John Myers told News 2. "Sometimes you just gotta go in."

Myers added he is "exceedingly proud" of his crew, stating that Sunday's incident is just one example of the many risks they take.

According to the officials, the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but no injuries were reported, including those with four legs.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/deputy-rescues-cat-from-house-fire-in-lawrence-county/