(NECN: Kristen Carosa) - Richard Collins came home from work Thursday to his Webster, Mass. house on fire.
"I'm still in shock. It feels like a dream, like it's not real," he says.
He says his first thought as he walked through the smoke filled door on Leboeuf Lane was to save his seven dogs inside.
"I tried doing CPR on one of them and I got a response," he says.
According to Webster Fire Chief Brian Hickey, the two alarm fire started in the kitchen when one of the dogs dragged a blanket too close to an electric base heater.
Five puppies died, but Richard's two older dogs were saved.
"Never thought I'd see a man run that fast to save a puppy," Collins says.
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Richard is talking about Webster EMS Chief Gary Milliard. He performed CPR on the 3-year-old and 8-year-old Boston terriers, which saved their lives. The two dogs did not have a pulse when they were taken from the burning home.
"It's sad that we couldn't get them all, but the fact that Chloe and Murphy are alive today, it truly is a miracle," Millard says.
Once Milliard revived the dogs on scene, he brought them to Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine for immediate care. The dogs stayed overnight and will be okay.
Fire Chief Brian Hickey says he couldn't be more proud of the way first responders handled this situation.
"They went way above and beyond. I mean, we treat your animals, your pets like they're part of the family, and we treat them as such, because they are part of your family," Hickey says.
Collins can't thank those who helped him enough. He says they saved his two best friends.
"Like I said, the guys did an awesome job, I can't thank them enough. I'd be lost without Murphy and Chloe," Collins says.
