Firefighters Give Oxygen Mask to Pigeon After Fire Smoke Inhalation

• Oakland's Engine 29 crew rescued a pigeon that inhaled smoke from a burning vehicle in East Oakland
• Firefighters held a tiny oxygen mask over the bird's beak until it recovered and flew away
• A video of the rescue went viral, drawing over 7 million views and thousands of comments online

Oakland firefighters proved that no patient is too small after a crew from Engine 29 stopped to help an unexpected casualty at the scene of a vehicle fire in East Oakland. Once the burning vehicle was under control, the team noticed a pigeon waddling nearby, visibly distressed after inhaling smoke from the blaze.

Rather than walk past, the firefighters held a miniature oxygen mask over the bird's beak and waited. It did the trick. After a short burst of fresh air, the pigeon perked up, spread its wings and flew off on its own.

A tiny rescue that captured the internet's heart

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The firefighters' union posted a short video of the moment on social media, and it took off almost immediately. The clip surpassed 7 million views, with thousands of people stopping to cheer on the compassionate crew.

The rescue captured by @abc7newsbayarea page was a brief but bright moment in what is otherwise a demanding and dangerous job. For many online, it was a reminder that the men and women who run towards emergencies often carry far more compassion than the job description requires.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Mzansi and the world react

The comments section became a mix of warmth, humour and the occasional sharp political observation, with many viewers praising the firefighters for going above and beyond their call of duty. People across the internet had plenty to say about the feathered patient:

Rested&Favored asked:

"So the bird gets free healthcare?"

Invisible_luna said:

"Firefighters are lifesavers for animals too. 🥹🚒 So cute."

Julieta V shared:

"The pigeon sued after medical bills hit and won a 5 lb. bag of seeds"

Martin added:

"Police would have emptied a clip into the bird claiming they feared for their lives"

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Ee commented:

"This is exactly where I want my tax money going. Well done."

Marianna wrote:

"Kindness is free, even if health care is not. 🥺"

Luvapplesauce commented:

"And the streets still have potholes."

Dog lover said:

"This is why people respect firefighters."

3 Other Briefly News stories about birds

• A viral video from The Feed CPT raised questions about whether feeding birds in Cape Town could get residents into legal trouble.
• Shareholders of Finland's Rovio, creator of the Angry Birds franchise, have overwhelmingly accepted Japanese Sega's offer to buy the company, allowing the deal to go through, the Finnish company said Thursday.
• A churchgoer stunned the internet after filming the moment a bird unexpectedly swooped down to attack her in a township.

Source: Briefly News