Police officer saved two dogs from Rose Hill house fire

An act of heroism saved two dogs from a massive house fire in the Rose Hill area last month, the Fairfax County Police announced on Facebook earlier this week.

Pfc. Jordan Griffin was off-duty and on his way home when he saw the home, located just off of Franconia Road at 5915 Montell Drive (see map), engulfed in flames. Redden pulled over and approached the house, and family members gathered outside informed him that three dogs were still inside.

The fire department had not yet arrived on the scene, so Griffin decided to break a window and climb into the house to look for the dogs. He managed to find two of them and help get them to safety.

“We’re unbelievably proud of Officer Griffin for this heroic act, and so glad to have him on our department,” the FCPD said on Facebook. “His willingness to put his life on the line off-duty to help his fellow residents shows that he’s both a superb officer and an amazing member of our community.”

The other dog ended up dying in the fire, as did a cat, according to a GoFundMe page setup for the family. The GoFundMe campaign for the family had raised close to $9,000 as of Thursday afternoon.

Nobody was injured in the fire, which began while the residents were out of the house. The fire started on a screened-in porch and ended up spreading to the second floor, attic and garage before being extinguished.

The fire department said improperly disposed of smoking materials caused the blaze, and damage to the five-bedroom home was estimated to be $663,538.