Barking dog alerts Georgia family to fire

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Firefighters say members of a Georgia family escaped their burning home after being roused from sleep by a four-legged alarm - their barking dog.

Gwinnett County Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge says everybody escaped the fire safely early Sunday, but the family's Lawrenceville home suffered extensive damage.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://bit.ly/otcMr9 ) a parent and child were awoken to the blaze by the barking of a dog inside the two-story home.

Rutledge says smoke alarms inside the house hadn't activated yet because most of the flames were outside and in the attic. He says firefighters believe the blaze started on the back deck, where the homeowner had used an outdoor fireplace the night before.

Upcoming Events