Dog Alerts Family To House Fire
BRACKENRIDGE (KDKA) - A family's home in Brackenridge was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning, but they all escaped injury because of their dog.
According to officials, the fire started around 3 a.m. in the 900-block of Roup Avenue.
The family woke up to the dog barking and discovered the fire spreading throughout the house.
"She started barking at me and she never barks. She always sleeps throughout the night with us. I went around the corner and the whole wall of the kitchen was on fire," Wendy Rankin said.
Firefighters arrived quickly, but the fire had already spread to a neighbor's house.
The Rankin's house was destroyed, but the family escaped injury.
Their dog had been hit by a car in recent months and suffered a badly broken leg and other injuries. They were given the option to put her down, but they declined.
"She's our hero and if we wouldn't have saved her with her leg, she wouldn't have saved us today," Rankin said. "I'm getting her the biggest steak that she can eat and want."
The dog's name, of course, is Hero.
The extent of the damage to the neighboring house is unknown at this time. Firefighters believe the cause of the fire is electrical.
