The fire broke out after 4am at a home on Vista Verda at Reveille. Residents who live there say they heard their pit bull barking.
They woke up to loud popping noises and thought someone was breaking in the home. But it wasn't until the homeowner's fiancé opened a door and saw smoke and flames that they realized their home was on fire. The family of three was able to get out.
The family believes the fire started in the garage as a result of a malfunctioning water heater. A father, his son and a female resident all made it out safely as did the family pet.
"She's not a barker, and when she was barking we knew something was wrong," said Wendy Beck. "The fire spread so quickly, if we were in a deep sleep we probably wouldn't have heard that."
A firefighter was treated on the scene for an unrelated illness. He will be OK.
The house was a total loss. The family did not have working smoke detectors.
The fire is under investigation.
