Hero pup saves family from house fire

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - Two people managed to make it out of their burning North Kingstown home Wednesday night, all thanks to the family's dog.

Flames broke out inside the home at 36 Georgia Ave. around 10:30 p.m.

The couple inside the home at the time did not realize anything was wrong until the family's Golden Retreiver, Kaya, started to bark.

"They thought that was weird, because it was 10:30 at night," said Zack Lasky, who lives at the home but was out with friends when the fire started. "My stepdad ran down the stairs and saw there was a fire, then they ran out of the house."

Lasky said Kaya is the reason why his mother and stepfather are alive.

"My dog was the first one to notice and she warned everybody," he said. "I was just glad to see that everyone was outside and okay. It's a relief knowing no one got hurt."

Investigators believe the quick-moving fire started in the garage. The flames destroyed the kitchen and living room area above the garage. There is heat and smoke damage to the other parts of the house.

The family returned to the scene Thursday morning to assess the damage and to take some of the belongings they were able to salvage.

For now, the house has been deemed unliveable. There is still no word on a cause.