Sheep Dog Alerts Family to Chemical Fire

Lola, a 9-month-old sheep dog, helped save her owners’ lives after warning them of a fire that had broken out in the basement of the family’s home late last month.

A pile of rags was in the basement; Health Glassman used the rags to stain wood the day before.  

The family was sitting down at dinner and a gas-powered fireplace was on. Lola barked and the family took her outside, thinking that was the problem. However, the barking persisted after she was back inside.

Heath Glassman walked past the rags a few times trying to figure out what was bothering Lola. Finding nothing, he went back upstairs. 

A little while later, Lola's barking alerted Glassman that something in the house smelled funny; he could smell smoke too.

The stain-soaked rags had caught fire. Glassman picked them up and tossed them outside, throwing water on them, which only made the fire worse.

“I was carrying a chemical fire, which isn’t the best idea that’s for sure,” Glassman said.

The fire department came and extinguished the fire. No one was hurt.

“[A] glass window was bright orange because of the rags and the fire they caused,” said Mackenzie Glassman, Heath’s daughter.

The family credits Lola for saving their lives and alerting them to the fire.

“Lola, her barking saved us for sure.” Heath said.

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