Broward man says dog saved him from fire

Firefighters put out the blaze, but a Fort Lauderdale man credits his dog, a mutt named Junior, with rousting him out of bed after flames and smoke filled his family’s home.

”We’re lucky to be alive,” said Madelus Davilmar of the 1700 block of Northwest 14th Avenue.

As of late Monday afternoon, investigators still had not determined the fire’s cause, although they are viewing it as possibly suspicious, said Detective Kathy Collins, a Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman.

Davilmar said he was sleeping when Junior, a poodle mix, started yapping incessantly. Davilmar had somehow slept through the sound of smoke alarms blaring. But the dog, who barks at the slightest provocation, including a stranger walking by on the sidewalk or a car whizzing by, kept barking.

The smoke was so heavy he had to feel his way around, Davilmar said. But he got out of the house — the last of seven to do so. Fire trucks arrived within four minutes of the call.

Battalion Chief William Findlan said the call came in at 7:58 a.m. and that the house was filled with smoke and flames. The fire was put out in five minutes.

The fire, which may have been electrical, apparently started in the guest room, where an 11-year-old boy has been staying.

west coast 911 news source-  Miami Herald