Heroism Amid Fire: Daughters Pulled Mother to Safety; Neighbor Rescued Dog

Jonathan Barrett was walking his dog on a peaceful Easter night when a searing orange glow down the street caught his attention.

His neighbor's house was on fire.

He booked it home, a few doors down from the Gallagher residence at . While he dialed 911, his mother, Janet, raced to the scene.

The pair found Jill Gallagher being dragged out the home by her two daughters -- one about 17 years old, the other about 20. Jill had suffered burns on her face and arms and was struggling to breathe. They all pulled her to the lawn away from the burning home.

While Barrett's mother helped stabilize Gallagher, he covered his nose and dashed inside to check for more people. The girls screamed they were all out, but some animals were inside.

Barrett found a frantic Doberman, Gracie, on the first floor as the fire raged in an upstairs bedroom. The dog ran away from Jonathan several times amid a wall of choking smoke before he was able to herd it outside the front door to safety.

Seconds later, firefighters arrived and took over. Gallagher was hospitalized with serious burns. She was at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

Barrett said he heard she will make it.

Firefighters rescued a puppy from the residence. A cat made it out, but another one perished.

Barrett said he didn't think it was extraordinary that he ran into the burning home.

"I don't find it special," he said. "That's what people should do."

Barrett, 27, a graphic designer and photographer, is watching over the dog until the Gallagher family is ready to take it back.

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• PHOTOS/VIDEO: Scene of Wilson Farm Road Fire