Dog jumps on sliding door to alert family to fire

[October 14, 2009]  BELTSVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Prince George's County fire officials said a family's barking dog alerted them to a fire and enabled them to escape without injury. The fire was reported about 6 a.m. Tuesday in Beltsville. Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady said the dog, Monster, a Doberman, was outside the house when the fire broke out.

Brady said Monster barked and jumped repeatedly on a rear sliding door. The noise awakened the family, who then heard the smoke alarm and fled the two-story, single family home. There were three adults and five children in the home.

It took 30 firefighters 20 minutes to bring the blaze under control. One firefighter suffered a burn to his upper body and was treated and released at a local hospital.

Brady said the fire caused $250,000 in damage.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.