Dog found in rubble eight days after blast

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo., April 30 (UPI) -- Employees sifting through the rubble of a Colorado building that was brought down by a gas explosion said they found a dog that had been trapped for eight days.

Brian Holt, owner of Good Times Adventures, said Brian Mislanski and his 8-month-old Springer spaniel, Lulu, were inside the company's building April 19 when a gas leak caused a massive explosion, the Rocky Mountain News reported Wednesday.

Mislanski suffered multiple injuries, including an injury to his left leg that forced doctors to amputate the limb at the knee. However, rescuers found no trace of Lulu, so friends and employees of Holt's company canvassed the area and put up leaflets.

Holt said he and a group of employees were allowed to return to the rubble of the building eight days after the explosion to recover personal items. He said they were preparing to leave when "one of our people said she just heard a dog yipe."

The businessman said they called Lulu's name and followed her whimpers for 45 minutes until they located and freed the dog, who, veterinarians said, was dehydrated but otherwise uninjured.

Holt said they were able to reunite Lulu with her owner at the hospital.

"Oh, Brian was very happy," Holt said.