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Dog alerts Okla. family to house fire

Fire officials believe the blaze was caused by a Christmas tree that fell onto a sofa

The Edmond Sun

EDMOND, Okla. — A dog alerted an Edmond family in the middle of the night to a fire that caused extensive smoke damage to their home, a fire official said.

At about 3:45 a.m. Monday, fire crews responded to a structure fire call in the 1000 block of Deer Park Drive in north Edmond, said Mike Barnes, fire prevention chief for the Edmond Fire Department.

When crews arrived smoke was coming out of the single story home, where family members already had evacuated, Barnes said. Firefighters said the fire was contained to the fire to the living room area, but smoke damage was so extensive it likely rendered the home uninhabitable, Barnes said.

According to preliminary estimates damage to the structure itself was about $280,000, Barnes said. Internal damage was estimated at $125,000 and personal property loss at $50,000-$60,000.

Family members were alerted by a pet dog and then heard alarms from smoke detectors that were going off, Barnes said. No injuries were reported by family members or firefighters, and the dog along with a puppy were rescued from any harm, Barnes said.

Barnes said it is believed the fire was caused by a Christmas tree, which had fallen onto a sofa. Lights plugged into a wall outlet had been left on during the night, and the tree might not have been properly watered, Barnes said.

Christmas tree lights are for temporary use only, he said.

The Edmond Firefighters Association helped the family with accommodations at a local hotel.

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