Firefighters Set Up Ladders To Help Raccoons Escape From Massive Blaze

Two raccoons were able to scamper away safely from a warehouse fire in South Bend, Indiana, thanks to the ladder work of the citys fire department.

Some people would ask, Why save the raccoons? the department wrote in a Facebook post featuring video shot by bystander Paul Bierwagen. Life safety and property conservation are two priorities on a fire scene. Thanks to our crews for taking a few minutes to let the raccoons escape.

The video shows two raccoons descending ladders propped against a brick building as smoke billows behind them. As each raccoon springs off the ladders to the ground, children can be heard clapping and cheering.

In a comment under the Facebook post, the fire department explained that the way the ladders are stacked is called ladder splicing and is a technique mountaineers also use.

The blaze began on Sunday evening and was briefly rekindled on Monday morning, according to the South Bend Tribune . Fire investigators told the paper that the building, which was being used for appliance and mattress storage, was a total loss.

South Bend Mayor and 2020 Democratic hopeful Pete Buttigieg tweeted thanks to the firefighters for their work battling two different fires in recent days, and he made a special point of mentioning the raccoon rescue.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Glad for the chance today to thank @SouthBendFire fighters for their action on two major fires just a few days apart in South Bend and hear about their experienceand thankful as always for the work our first responders do daily. pic.twitter.com/F9E4sxcBJx

Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 6, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Pete Buttigieg","author_url":"https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg","cache_age":86400,"description":"Glad for the chance today to thank @SouthBendFire fighters for their action on two major fires just a few days apart in South Bend and hear about their experienceand thankful as always for the work our first responders do daily. pic.twitter.com/F9E4sxcBJx Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 6, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Pete Buttigieg on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1158861379442565120","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5d49c3e1e4b0244052e248eb","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/raccoons-fire-rescue-south-bend_n_5d49c3e1e4b0244052e248eb","entryTagsList":"animals,pete-buttigieg,firefighters,south-bend-indiana,raccoons","sectionSlug":"green","deptSlug":"impact","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"weird-news,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.green","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":4},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5d49c3e1e4b0244052e248eb","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Animals","slug":"animals","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/animals","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/animals","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/animals"},"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Animals","slug":"animals","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/animals"},{"name":"pete buttigieg","slug":"pete-buttigieg","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/pete-buttigieg","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/pete-buttigieg","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/pete-buttigieg"},"relegenceId":6426967,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Pete Buttigieg","slug":"pete-buttigieg","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/pete-buttigieg"},{"name":"firefighters","slug":"firefighters","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/firefighters","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/firefighters","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/firefighters"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Firefighters","slug":"firefighters","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/firefighters"},{"name":"South Bend, Indiana","slug":"south-bend-indiana","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/south-bend-indiana","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/south-bend-indiana","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/south-bend-indiana"},"relegenceId":3482445,"url":"https://action.news/topic/south-bend-indiana"},{"name":"raccoons","slug":"raccoons","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/raccoons","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/raccoons","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/raccoons"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/raccoons"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Glad for the chance today to thank @SouthBendFire fighters for their action on two major fires just a few days apart in South Bend and hear about their experienceand thankful as always for the work our first responders do daily. pic.twitter.com/F9E4sxcBJx
Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 6, 2019

Also, this happened https://t.co/Y3uGUmJwsb

Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 7, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Pete Buttigieg","author_url":"https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg","cache_age":86400,"description":"Also, this happened https://t.co/Y3uGUmJwsb Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 7, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Pete Buttigieg on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1158928785984630787","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5d49c3e1e4b0244052e248eb","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/raccoons-fire-rescue-south-bend_n_5d49c3e1e4b0244052e248eb","entryTagsList":"animals,pete-buttigieg,firefighters,south-bend-indiana,raccoons","sectionSlug":"green","deptSlug":"impact","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"weird-news,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.green","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":4},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5d49c3e1e4b0244052e248eb","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Animals","slug":"animals","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/animals","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/animals","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/animals"},"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Animals","slug":"animals","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/animals"},{"name":"pete buttigieg","slug":"pete-buttigieg","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/pete-buttigieg","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/pete-buttigieg","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/pete-buttigieg"},"relegenceId":6426967,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Pete Buttigieg","slug":"pete-buttigieg","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/pete-buttigieg"},{"name":"firefighters","slug":"firefighters","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/firefighters","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/firefighters","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/firefighters"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Firefighters","slug":"firefighters","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/firefighters"},{"name":"South Bend, Indiana","slug":"south-bend-indiana","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/south-bend-indiana","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/south-bend-indiana","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/south-bend-indiana"},"relegenceId":3482445,"url":"https://action.news/topic/south-bend-indiana"},{"name":"raccoons","slug":"raccoons","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/raccoons","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/raccoons","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/raccoons"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/raccoons"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Also, this happened https://t.co/Y3uGUmJwsb
Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 7, 2019

As for the raccoons, their current whereabouts are unclear. When a Facebook user asked whether the animals had been questioned, Fire Captain Brandon Roark responded, they fled the scene, our investigators would like to speak to them.