‘We’re just devastated’: Seven dogs killed in metro-east van fire
Two dog rescue groups from Texas announced Saturday that seven dogs had died in a van fire on Interstate 270 in Glen Carbon on Friday night.
Four dogs survived the fire and one of them was taken to a nearby animal hospital for burn and smoke inhalation injuries, said Tammy Livingston, co-founder of Belles Buds Rescue of the Houston area.
“We’re just devastated and sick,” she said.
Of the 11 dogs in the van, two belonged to Belles Buds Rescue. Livingston said her group had Guapo, an Eskidoodle who survived and was taken to Hawthorne Animal Hospital in Glen Carbon, while Presto, an Australian shepherd puppy, was one of the dogs that died.
The Mercedes-Benz van, which was carrying the dogs in kennels, was engulfed in flames on the right shoulder when first responders arrived, according to a news release from Illinois State Police. The fire occurred about 11:27 p.m. Friday at milepost 11 on eastbound I-270 near Illinois 159.
The van’s driver and a passenger were not injured.
After firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, state troopers determined that several of the dogs had died. Police did not release any other details about the incident.
“By some miracle, Guapo made it out alive,” the Belles Buds Rescue group said in a Facebook post. “A Good Samaritan saw him escape the flames and rushed him to Hawthorne Animal Hospital, where their incredible team acted quickly to save him.”
A spokesperson for Hawthorne said Guapo was in stable condition Saturday.
Livingston said one fortunate aspect of the fire is that Guapo was able to be treated at Hawthorne, which is located about two miles from the fire scene and open 24 hours a day.
Livingston said her group’s dogs were being transported to their adoptive homes in the Northeast in a van operated by Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue, which also is in the Houston area.
“At this time, we do not know the exact cause of the fire. What we do know is that the blaze was fast and intense,” said a message posted on Facebook by Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue. “Thanks to the incredible bravery and quick action of our drivers, four dogs were rescued from the flames.”
Three of the survivors — Sasha, Charlie and Magnolia — have since been delivered to their adoptive families, according to Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue.
For information about Belles Buds Rescue’s fundraising effort for Guapo’s treatment, go to the group’s page on Facebook.
This story was originally published June 21, 2025 at 2:57 PM.
