Dog alerts owner of fire at home in Billerica

BILLERICA, Mass. --  A family dog helped alert a man that his home in Billerica was on fire early Saturday.

The fire ripped through the house on Blades Circle around 5:30 a.m.

No one was injured, thanks in part to man's best friend.

The family dog woke his owner, Jason Sterns, up when the fire started, giving him enough time to get out.

“My dog kept barking and barking, I had the covers over my head and he kept pulling them off and pulling them off, barking and waking me up,” Sterns said.

Sterns said when he finally looked to see what the dog, Buckley, was barking at, he saw flames above him and embers falling on him.

“I just got out real quick, Buckley was right in front of me, running right out, barking and barking,” Sterns said.

The house was a total loss. Sterns said the American Red Cross was assisting him.

“They gave me clothes, a place to stay,” Sterns said.

Sterns thanked neighbors and firefighters, while crediting Buckley for saving his life.

“He’s a wonderful dog, he’s my little angel,” Sterns said.

There is no word on the cause of the fire.

(Copyright (c) 2011 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)