A Humphreys County K-9 died Thursday morning in a patrol car fire. Ciro, a 5-year-old German Shepherd, was inside a parked patrol vehicle at the Humphreys County Courthouse while K-9 Deputy Sheriff Shawn Gary was there for court.
According to officials, the vehicle incurred some type of electrical short that resulted in the car catching fire in the dashboard area.
Deputies were alerted by a citizen who saw the smoke inside the vehicle. They, along with assistance from Waverly Fire and Police, broke out windows and attempted to pry the security bars off the window frames to access the dog.
According to Sheriff Chris Davis, by the time Ciro was reached he had succumbed to smoke inhalation. Ciro was transported to Waverly Animal Clinic where the 5-year-old dog was pronounced deceased.
Two Deputies were treated and released from Three Rivers Hospital after suffering 2nd-degree burns and smoke inhalation.
The patrol vehicle was equipped with an electronic alarm system that Sheriff Davis said is supposed to alert the Deputy’s pager and sound an audible siren in such events, however, the system failed to function.
Ciro is being escorted at 2:30 p.m. from the animal clinic to the Luff-Bowen funeral home.
Ciro was nationally certified with NNDDA and NAPWDA and certified as a Patrol and Narcotics K9. He had been assigned to Patrol Unit with the Humphreys County sheriff’s office for four years.
Trenton Curtis 