AYER, Mass. — Authorities are crediting a dog with saving its owner’s life after their house caught fire early Monday morning.
Crews responding to 8 Mulberry Circle around 1:30 a.m. for a report of a fire found flames in the kitchen of the residence and smoke filling the second floor, according to Ayer Fire officials.
The homeowner had evacuated the building but said the family dog was still inside. Firefighters quickly knocked down the blaze and found the pooch on the second floor suffering from smoke inhalation.
The dog was given oxygen at the scene and transported to an emergency veterinarian in Westford where it is reportedly in stable condition.
Investigators say there were no working smoke alarms in the house and that the dog awoke the homeowner as the second floor began filling with smoke.
“This incident was a near miss that could have had a very different outcome if not for the lucky and well-timed intervention of the family dog,” the Ayer Fire Department wrote in a social media post. “EVERY home needs to have working smoke alarms on every habitable level and within 10 feet of every bedroom. This homeowner was extremely lucky to survive the fire unscathed.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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