'Hero' dog saves family from house fire (From Enfield Independent)

'Hero' dog saves family from Ponders End house fire

3:50pm Thursday 16th August 2012 in News By Hermione Wright

A pet dog has been hailed a hero after saving a family from a house fire in Ponders End.

The fire broke out in a back bedroom of the family home in Allens Road just before 1am on Monday, waking the heroic Doberman before the smoke alarm detected the fire.

The family pet barked at his owner until he woke up, giving the father time to rescue his two children and call the fire brigade before the blaze took hold of the property.

A statement released today by the London Fire Brigade, said: “The dog may well have saved this family’s lives. His barking woke the family up, allowing them to quickly escape and call us out.

“Had they not been woken up so quickly, the damage to their home could have been far worse and they might not have escaped without injury. I’m sure they are very grateful to their hero dog.”

The children and their father were checked for smoke inhalation by ambulance crews but no one was taken to hospital.

The fire, which devastated the bedroom and part of the hallway, was ignited by a plug-in air freshener which had been covered by material.