On Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, a heroic Monroe, Washington, dog saved the life of his owner when the pet alerted the sleeping owner that their home was on fire.
The fire started after 8 a.m. and firefighters confirmed the blaze started because the Christmas tree lights were left on over night.
That morning, the dog barked until the unsuspecting pet owner woke up. Another house resident and dog were inside the home sleeping, and if it wasn’t for the first dog alerting its owner, all four residents – two- and four-legged individuals – would have perished in the blaze.
According to Monroe Fire Marshal Michael Fitzgerald, this is a great time to remind people to ensure that holiday lighting should be unplugged before going to bed.
“Live Christmas trees must be watered, and should be removed from the home following the holiday,” said Fitzgerald. “Additionally, never wind or tie an electrical cord around itself. This can lead to unsafe heating of the electrical cords.”
Fire damages reach $85,000 but fortunately no lives were lost.
