Family Dog Alerts Owner To NJ House Fire, Saving Lives, Officials Say

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A Passaic County dog is being hailed as a hero after alerting his owner that their home was ablaze, officials say.

On Friday, just before 1 a.m., West Milford fire crews were called to a home on Elm Street on reports of a structure fire.

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Authorities learned that "heavy" fire and smoke were coming from two sides of the home.

After a sweep of the building determined nobody was inside, crews began suppression efforts, and the fire was extinguished in around a half hour, officials said.

As it turns out, the owner was alerted to the fire by her dog, who caught the fire before the smoke detectors picked it up, according to West Milford fire officials.

ABC6 Action News identified the furry hero as a three-year-old pet poodle named "Squilliam." The report adds that Squilliam began barking at his owner, Aida Kelly, waking her up before the detectors went off.

Kelly and Squilliam were able to escape the home uninjured, according to the report.

Officials said that one firefighter was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries from the incident.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.