A dog in Colorado Springs, Colorado, accidentally ignited a fire by turning on stove burners, triggering smoke alarms, and prompting its owner to extinguish the flames.
Surveillance footage reveals the cause
The Colorado Springs Fire Department released surveillance footage showing the curious canine sniffing at boxes piled on top of the oven, inadvertently turning the dial to start a burner. This incident occurred at approximately 4:43 a.m. on June 26.
Quick response prevents major damage
The fire department received a call about a possible structure fire and arrived to find the fire had already been extinguished, with only evidence of the blaze remaining. The homeowners reported being alerted by a heat notification from one of their Apple devices, and the footage confirmed the smoke alarms had gone off.
The unnamed male homeowner who extinguished the fire was hospitalized for smoke inhalation but sustained no other injuries. Fire officials did not disclose his identity or that of the dog involved.
“This is a good reminder to always have working smoke alarms inside and outside every sleeping area and on every floor of the home, ensure all combustibles are away from your stovetop/oven; and know two ways out of every room in your home in the event of a fire,” the fire department stated on Facebook.
While the family has insurance, the fire left their home partially unlivable, with significant smoke damage to items and clothing. Kim Smith, the mother of the female homeowner, shared on a GoFundMe page that the upstairs area of the house is uninhabitable.