‘A Lion King moment:’ Bodycam captured Caledonia officer rescuing dog from house engulfed in flames

RACINE, Wis. - It's said cats have nine lives, but two dogs are lucky to be alive thanks to a Caledonia Police Department K-9 officer who pulled one of the canines from a burning home on Monday afternoon, July 6. CPD released the dramatic body camera video Tuesday.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Monday, Caledonia K-9 Officer Cory Radke and his partner, Lou, were on their way home when he saw a lot of smoke in the sky.

"Then dispatch is like, starts calling to every squad in Caledonia, 'Start heading for the structure fire,'" said Radke. "I was like, 'Well, that answers that. Here we go!'"

Radke was first to arrive at the home off Beechnut Drive.

With flames shooting through the roof, he kicked in the side door to the garage, making his way through the room and into the home -- calling out for dogs as smoke filled the living room.

"Come here, puppy! Come here, pups!" Radke said in the body camera video.

The K-9 officer found Deezel parked on the couch.

"Just like of like, 'Hey, what are you doing here?' Smoke in the room," said Radke. "'Come on, let's get out of here, buddy'"

"Got a dog -- I don't know if there's another dog," said Radke in the body camera video.

The officer went back in to check for people or more pups.

"The smoke was getting to me," said Radke. "Had to get on out of there and let the true heroes clear it."

Firefighters found Fido hiding under a bed.

"Fire department went in there and ended taking out a window and crawling in there and getting the dog out, bringing them out of the smoke," said Radke. "It was like a little Lion King moment there."

The home was severely damaged, but no one was hurt, and the owners weren't home at the time.

A self-described dog lover, whose four-legged partner, Lou, also lives with him, Officer Radke said anyone would've done the same if his own home was on fire.

"It's like, my dog, it's part of the family," said Radke.