That is so sad, but he died doing what he thought was the right thing to do, I would have done the same thing.
People have always told me I was crazy if I was to do something like that, but I would go in a burning building after a child or any other human (except one of my husbands sisters), and I would do the same thing for an animal.
I've told hubby numerous times that if we ever have a fire, he gets Twig and Isis and I get Luna and Rocket and neither one of us comes out without two cats or I'll go back to get them no matter what.
Years ago our fire department handed out some reflective things to put in a window, they were tot finders, if you had a fire in your home and the firemen shone the light on the windows, this little thing would show up real good, I still have them on my windows, so they would always hafta go in my house. I always hoped that if they did they would find my pets.