LA PLATA, MD – A quick-thinking family dog is being credited with alerting a resident to a fire that broke out in a Charles County home Tuesday afternoon, allowing everyone inside to escape safely before flames spread.
According to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the fire was reported around 4:37 p.m. at a single-story residence in La Plata. Firefighters from the La Plata Volunteer Fire Department arrived to find flames coming from the home’s garage.
Roughly 40 firefighters responded to the scene and brought the blaze under control within 10 minutes. Investigators determined the fire began in the garage and was accidental in nature. No injuries were reported.
Officials said the early alert from the family’s dog likely prevented injuries by giving the occupant time to escape before the fire intensified.
A family dog alerted its owner to a fast-moving garage fire in La Plata, allowing them to escape unharmed as firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control.