An 8-month-old pug named Kook rattled his cage early Friday morning, causing enough racket to wake up his owners just in time to escape an apartment fire.
Patrick Vigil and Gail Martinez credit the dog with saving their lives and perhaps the lives of other residents at their multifamily building in northwest Denver.
“I’m a pretty sound sleeper,” Vigil said. “We would have slept right through it, more than likely.”
But after Kook raised the alarm, Martinez smelled smoke, and Vigil stepped outside his garden-level unit to see the apartment above engulfed in flames.
“When I went out, there were flames shooting everywhere,” Vigil said.
The fire broke out about 4 a.m. at 3860 Irving St., said Lt. Phil Champagne, a Denver Fire Department spokesman.
About three dozen firefighters fought the blaze for about 40 minutes, containing it for the most part to the one unit, which was gutted. The resident of the unit that burned was not home at the time.
Vigil and Martinez can’t return to their unit until investigators determine how much structural damage was done directly above.
Four other families returned to their homes in the six-unit building this morning. There were no injuries.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Meanwhile, Kook is getting lots of praise, and he’s likely in line for a treat or two.
Vigil said: “I think he deserves a little piece of steak or something.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
