Barking Dogs Alert Woman To House Fire In Harford County ​

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Several four-legged family members may be getting some extra treats after alerting their owner to a fire inside their home.

According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, firefighters responded to a home along the 1700-block of Fountain Rock Way in Edgewood before noon on Thursday.

The homeowner told firefighters that she was asleep when her dogs woke her up in her living room.

After smelling and seeing smoke coming from around the bedroom door, she grabbed her two dogs, left and called 911.

She told her investigators she remembered a television show offered a safety tip to keep inside doors closed — and did just that.

Firefighters quickly contained the fire to the bedroom and rescued two cats left behind.

Deputy state fire marshals commended the homeowner for remaining calm and not opening the bedroom door. A closed door can isolate the fire's flow, reduce room temperature and keep carbon monoxide levels down.

"Today's fire goes to show that keeping doors closed makes a difference. It can reduce the temperature from 1,000 degrees to 100 degrees. It is crucial at night when people are vulnerable and disoriented, with little time to react. It's such a simple thing to do, and the result can be life versus death," said State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci.

Firefighters said the fire appears to be accidental and a result of an electrical failure that ignited the mattress and bedding material.

The fire caused an estimated $25,000 in damages, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said.