South County family escapes house fire after dog’s warning barks
May 25, 2026, 6:00 PM
(Photo courtesy of South County Fire)
(Photo courtesy of South County Fire)
A dog in South County alerted residents to a fire by barking inside their home on Monday morning near Esperance Park.
At approximately 4:45 a.m., firefighters responded to reports of a house filled with smoke, South County Fire (SCF) announced.
Family dog alerts residents to house fire in South County
Firefighters arrived at the scene minutes later and found a fire burning in the front garage area of the home. Three adults and three dogs were able to safely escape before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.
An initial search of the home was conducted to confirm there was no one else inside. Firefighters also attacked the fire aggressively, and it was extinguished in roughly 10 minutes.
The fire was contained to one section of the home, although smoke damage did affect the entire structure.
SCF noted the impacted residents were being provided immediate needs by the American Red Cross Northwest Region and Support 7.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office with assistance from SCF.
“This incident is a good reminder to check your smoke alarms and make sure they’re working,” SCF stated. “If an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away. If it still chirps, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.”
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