TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Barking Dogs Alert Man To Morning House Fire

News Channel 8 photo by JIM FARQUHAR

Three mixed-breed dogs instead of a smoke alarm awoke a Tampa man during a house fire this morning, fire officials said.

ADVERTISEMENT

TBO.com

Published: December 20, 2008

Updated: 12/20/2008 07:41 pm

TAMPA - Three small mixed-breed dogs instead of a smoke alarm awoke a Tampa man during a house fire today, fire officials said.

Jason Goodrich, 31, was asleep at 4102 N. Ola Ave. when the fire erupted about 7:07 a.m., Tampa Fire Rescue said.

Goodrich had no smoke alarm in the single-story house but awoke after he heard his three dogs barking, firefighters said. He and the dogs escaped as the house filled with smoke.

"If he had not had the dogs, he wouldn't have made it," Fire Investigator Milton Jenkins said today.Even so, Jenkins cautioned residents against relying on a dog to alert them to such danger, as animals can be overcome by smoke too.

"Smoke detectors save lives," he said.

Goodrich was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in fair condition to be treated for smoke inhalation, firefighters said. A neighbor is watching the dogs.

Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 40 minutes.

Jenkins said it appears the fire started in the living-room couch by improperly discarded smoking materials. Goodrich told investigators he had come home about 2:30 a.m., fixed a pizza and went to bed.

There was no sign the blaze started in the kitchen or that anything was wrong with the appliances, Jenkins said.

Damages to the house are estimated at about $90,000, officials said.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT