LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A pair of pet poodle saved their family when a fire broke out in their home in Lebanon.
The flames broke out about 4 a.m. Wednesday at the home on the 600 block of Fairgrounds Court. The dog woke family members up, alerting them to the fire.
"We just got done three years ago putting $90 thousand in to remodeling it, so now it's a complete tear down and start over," said Randy Grimsley.
The Grimsley family is left salvaging what they can from their Lebanon home after a fire. They're now putting years of belongings in plastic bags while they try to figure out what to do next.
But one thing they do know, is they wouldn't have made it out of the fire alive without the help from their poodles Maggie and Morgan.
"Maggie yipped and a little bark and I looked and seen Morgan going in a circle at the door and thought maybe they had to go outside, so I got up went down stairs, opened the front door let them and when I turned around I seen a flame out the back French doors," said Grimsley.
The family says the poodles rarely bark so when they heard Maggie they knew she needed to tell them something.
"They did their job good, we didn't hear the fire alarm go off until we went outside. "
Maggie and Morgan will be rewarded for their heroic actions with a steak dinner; The Grimsley's are just glad they'll live to see another day.
"We have each other and our dogs to thank for it, life will move on," said Grimsley.
Fire officials said when crews got to the home, almost half of the house was engulfed in flames. The family and fire crews heard 10-15 small explosions, which officials say were likely caused by fireworks and propane tank in the homeowners garage.
Everyone including the family's two dogs got out safely. It took firefighters about half an hour to extinguish the flames.
No one was injured. However, much of the property was damaged and an antique vehicle and camper were a complete loss.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
