Hero dog credited with rescuing Rhode Island family from house fire

March 25 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Rhode Island said a family was able to escape a house fire without injuries thanks to the heroic actions of their pet dog.

Hopkins Hill Fire Chief Frank Brown said the family of five was alerted to fire at their Coventry home early Thursday morning when they were awakened by their dog.

"It appears that the fire started on the exterior structure. And the dog was pretty active in the house and they got up to see what was going on and they saw the fire out on the porch through the sliding glass door. It's a real good story for that dog and he was able to do that and rescue his family," Brown told WJAR-TV.

Family members said the heroic dog's name is Cooter and he was a recent addition to the family.

Brown said firefighters would typically draw water from Johnson's Pond, as there are no hydrants in the area, but tankers had to be called in from neighboring towns because the pond's water levels were too low.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.