Heroic dog dies while alerting family to house fire in SE Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A southeast side family told Eyewitness News they are alive after their small dog was able to warn them during a fire Friday morning.

The fire took place in the 4900 block of Yellowstone after 2am.

The family said a small pet named Lacey woke up one of the 5 family members inside the home.

"She started barking badly," said Maria Marquez. "(My aunt) went to porch and saw the dog in flames."

She said her aunt saw Halloween decorations on fire and quickly woke everyone up just in time, thanks to poor Lacey, who was already engulfed in flames.

"The whole house was full of smoke," she said.

Firefighters had a tough time getting to the family since the front porch was cluttered. The family said soon after, the second family dog named Petey went back inside.

Petey belonged to 84-year-old Berta Flores. She said they think Petey went inside looking for her, not knowing she was already outside.

Firefighters told her they found Petey dead next to her bed.

"It's so horrible," said Maria Marquez in Spanish.

Marquez says she drove to the home to check on her relatives. Unfortunately the family soon found out too that's Lacey had died.