Dog saves owner from fire

Friday, September 26, 2008

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Cindy Lou woke up her owner and they escaped from a fire.

POLK COUNTY (Bay News 9)--A Polk County man took in a dog that his neighbors didn't want, and it proved to be a life saving decision.

Justin Engel, who lives at the High View Apartments, took in his dog Cindy Lou after a neighbor said she had too much energy.

"I haven't found that to be been true at all. She's been great with kids. She's great with everybody," Engel said.

And Cindy Lou proved how great of a pet she is by saving Engel's life.

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On Thursday, Engel's power was turned off, and he fell asleep with a candle lit. The candle started a fire, and because there was no electricity, the smoke alarms that are hard wired into his apartment did not go off.

But Cindy Lou knew there was a problem and started barking.

That is what woke Engel up.

"I asked him [a firefighter], 'So would I have like woken up hacking my lung up?' 'No,' he said. 'You probably wouldn't have woken up,'" he said.

Engel and Cindy Lou managed to escape from the second balcony window. Engel and the dog are fine.

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