Couple was startled when their dog abruptly woke them — then realized she had actually saved their lives

In the couple's case, their dog turned out to be their superhero.

PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

(L) A couple sleeping on their bed; (R) A dog barking inside a house. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by (L) 10'000 Hours; (R) Catherine Falls Commercial)

Anyone would hardly ever appreciate being woken up from their sleep. But a couple from Kennewick is thankful that their dog roused them by barking loudly. They were startled at first, but quickly realized what was actually happening and felt deeply grateful for what their dog had done. Flames had engulfed their house because of the fire at their apartment complex, but due to their dog's action, they were able to get out with the help of a rope right on time, per the Tri-City Herald.

A building on fire. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | photovova — A building on fire. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by photovova)

Izabeau Pearston and her boyfriend, Elijah Jackson, realized that their second-story apartment was on fire after brushing it off as nothing when their dog, Willow, barked first. Flames were coming in from their front windows, and the couple knew that they would have to act quickly to get out unscathed, along with Willow. As their access to the stairs had been blocked off because of the flames, they decided to get down from their apartment with the help of a rope. "My boyfriend told me to get the rope. Then he tied off the rope on the bed and rappelled down," Pearston recounted. She let Willow down after that, and by the time she got out, the apartment was full of black smoke.

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One of their neighbors jumped from the second floor onto the lawn and suffered a back injury. The woman told PEOPLE that the Kennewick Fire Department managed to put out the fire, but they still lost everything in their apartment. "We have clothes to put on, but that was all after the fact. We didn’t have anything but pajamas and a dog on a carabiner and a rope." She added, "We’re trying to figure out what steps to take next." However, the couple was thankful for their dog, who would be "spoiled" for saving their lives. All of the residents in the complex were able to escape with some sustaining minor injuries.

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The exact cause of the fire hadn't been figured out, per the Tri-City Herald. Ben Shearer, the public information officer at Benton County Fire District 4, told the outlet that the temperatures across the city had been 10 to 20 degrees higher than the normal temperatures over the past few days. "It’s a little early, but not unexpected. We had all that rain this spring, now it’s been hot and dry. All it takes is a spark... All of the fuels are mid-summer season dry," Shearer further added. In a statement from the Kennewick Police Department on Facebook, the officials shared that all the people had been evaluated by the Kennewick Fire Department.

"Upon arrival, both second-story occupants had to exit through their windows. All occupants of the building were evacuated in time. Minor injuries were reported and all occupants were evaluated by KFD." The fire happened around 4:30 in the morning, and the department requested people to avoid the area as the KFD was still working there. Many people hoped for the safety of the residents in the comments section. Kyle Pratt wrote, "If this family has a GoFundMe, I’ll be happy to donate. What a nightmare." Danielle Klas commented, "No one deserves to lose their home and I feel like fires in apartment complexes are even worse considering they are multi family homes. Hope everyone is okay."