ROCKVILLE, Md. — A Montgomery County family is singing their praises for their 8-year-old labrador, Molly, after they say she alerted them to a fire in their basement.
Firefighters with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue responded to Green Pasture Dive, Montrose Road, in Rockville around 4 p.m. after receiving a call about a house fire on Monday. Upon arrival they saw smoke coming from an exterior power meter, helping them determine there was an electrical fire in the basement of the home.
Molly's owner, Charles Miller, said his wife was in the upstairs of their home taking care of their 14-month-old granddaughter when the fire broke out.
"She's probably on the couch here seeing the smoke, and she ran up," Miller said. "When Molly starts banging on the doors with her paws, you know something is wrong."
The Millers say the smoke alarms never went off.
Officials said the neighborhood had just experienced a power outage, which they say may have played a role in the fire.
Miller said his wife was able to get out of the home with her granddaughter and Molly, just in time to call 911.
"Yeah, she's the hero," Miller said. "She's like unbelievable."
Miller said Molly was bred and trained to be a guide dog for the nonprofit group, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, but she failed one of the tests. "She didn't pass the cut for whatever they look for," he added.
Although his adored Labrador missed the mark to become a guide dog, Miller says she aced yesterday's test.
"I am blessed," Miller said. "You know, material stuff don't mean nothing to us. And it will all get rebuilt and it will all be forgotten in a year from now."
No one was injured in the fire, but the family was displaced. Fire officials say the cost of the damage exceeds $200,000.
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