Woman says dog saved family from mobile home fire in Statesville, NC

STATESVILLE, NC (FOX 46) - A woman says her dog saved her family's life after alerting them to a fire that had broken out in their mobile home early Tuesday morning in Statesville.

The fire started about 2:45 a.m. at 434 Eufola Road, firefighters said. The blaze erupted on one side of the home and fortunately did not spread to the side where the family inside was sleeping.

The homeowner tells FOX 46 Charlotte that she is shocked that her home is still standing. The fire did not spread to the side of the home where the family was sleeping.She said that her dog woke her up and pounced on her bed to let them know the house was on fire.

"If he hadn't woken me up we would all be dead. He jumped up and down on my chest," the homeowner and mother tells FOX 46 Charlotte.

Six people were staying inside the mobile home at the time. Fortunately, they all made it out alive. Three people had to be taken to the hospital-- two children were being treated for smoke inhalation and the homeowner's brother-in-law suffered serious burns on his hands, firefighters said.

While the family and the heroic canine made it out alive, the family did lose seven dogs and one cat.

Firefighters have not determined what caused the fire, but the homeowner believes it was a toaster oven in the back room.