When a couple from Los Angeles left their home for separate trips, they couldn’t have imagined wildfires would erupt in their neighborhood, threatening their three beloved dogs. But thanks to the courageous actions of two CBS employees, Alma, Archie, and Hugo were saved from imminent danger.
On January 7, 2025, as the Palisades fires ravaged Los Angeles, Andrea and Sixuan Pasinetti were far from home. Andrea was in San Francisco for work, while Sixuan was overseas. Their dogs had been left with a sitter who, due to road closures, couldn’t reach their house on Lachman Lane as flames closed in.
Desperate to save his pets, Andrea booked an immediate flight back to Los Angeles. “The flight into [Los Angeles] was definitely very, very hard because we just didn’t have any information,” he recounted in an emotional interview with CBS News. At the airport, a friend met him with fire-retardant supplies, ready for a rescue attempt. Yet, roadblocks prevented them from reaching the house. “It’s this feeling of helplessness and devastation,” Andrea shared. “Wanting to maintain hope, but also kind of bracing for the worst.”
Meanwhile, Sixuan, watching the news coverage, spotted CBS News reporter Jonathan Vigliotti near their neighborhood. Desperate, the couple tweeted at him and contacted producer Christian Duran. Moved by their plight, Jonathan and Christian decided to act.
The scene at the Pasinetti home was dire. Flames encircled the property, and without a key, entry seemed impossible. With Andrea’s permission, Jonathan and Christian were prepared to break windows if needed. Alma, Archie, and Hugo—rescues with anxiety—complicated matters further. Alma was near the entrance, but Hugo had hidden under a bed.
Throwing a blanket over Alma to calm her, the duo secured her first. They then focused on Hugo, lifting the bed in the primary bedroom to retrieve him. Moments later, they managed to save Archie as well. Hours after their dramatic rescue, the house succumbed to the fire.
“I have never felt that mixture of joy, relief, exhaustion, despair, and gratitude,” Andrea said, reflecting on the ordeal. “The generosity and risk they took to save the dogs—it’s the best that humanity has to offer.”
Andrea later shared a touching photo with Alma, Archie, and Hugo, expressing his profound thanks to the CBS team and the first responders who fought tirelessly during the disaster. Jonathan shared his own thoughts: “We almost didn’t go. We wrongly thought the home and the dogs would be fine.”
The Palisades fires left devastation in their wake, burning over 40,000 acres, destroying thousands of structures, and claiming 24 lives. Yet, amid the tragedy, the rescue of the Pasinetti dogs serves as a powerful reminder of humanity’s courage and compassion.
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