A CBS News journalist and producer went beyond their reporting roles to rescue three dogs trapped in a burning home during the devastating LA fires. Homeowners Andrea Pasinetti and his wife, Sixuan, were miles away when the flames threatened their Pacific Palisades neighborhood, leaving their dogs — Alma, Archie, and Hugo — in peril. Thanks to a determined and daring rescue mission, the dogs found their way back to their owners just in time.
Video shows reporters rescuing dogs stuck in their home during LA fire
As the Palisades Fire rapidly intensified, Andrea Pasinetti hurried back to Los Angeles from San Francisco, overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness and uncertainty. Sixuan, who was overseas at the time, spotted CBS News reporter Jonathan Vigliotti broadcasting near their residence. Desperate to save their dogs, the couple managed to contact Vigliotti through a colleague and informed him of the dire situation.
Despite the challenges posed by the flames and blocked roads, Vigliotti and CBS News producer Christian Duran rushed to the scene. With the house locked and burning, Pasinetti urged the rescuers to take immediate action, even if it meant breaking a window. The three pups likely hid inside in fear, adding to the urgency of the mission.
The dramatic rescue culminated in a phone call from Vigliotti to Pasinetti, confirming that all three dogs were safe. Pasinetti described feeling a mix of relief, joy, and gratitude toward the journalists who put themselves at risk to save his beloved pets. “Jonathan called and said, ‘We have the dogs,’” recalled Pasinetti. “And my first reaction was, ‘All three?’ I have never felt that mixture of joy, and relief, and exhaustion, and despair, and gratitude towards someone.”
Unfortunately, the flames consumed the Pasinetti family’s home shortly after the rescue. The couple is among many who lost their homes in the fire, which has destroyed thousands of structures and claimed at least 25 lives. “I think we go through life accruing so much stuff and curating our belongings, but at the end of the day, it’s all stuff,” Pasinetti said. “And while it’s sad to lose, I think the possibility and prospect of losing something much more important, just put it into perspective.”
