Family dog dies after alerting owners to fire in Denver home

DENVER, N.C. — Two men told Channel 9 they're only alive because their dogs woke them up when the mobile home they were in caught fire late Tuesday night in Denver.

"I'm just glad to be alive," Rob Hineline said after escaping the flames inside the home on Denver Heights Circle.

Hineline was sleeping in the bedroom while a friend slept on the couch.

Two dogs inside started growling as the fire raged on the front porch, which woke up Hineline's friend.

"The windows just started busting out and that's when we had gotten out," Hineline said.

They thought both dogs ran out with them, but it turned out that one dog, Spanky, ran to a back bedroom.

"He seen the flames and the smoke alarm was going off and that's his safe spot," Hineline said.

By the time they realized Spanky was still inside, it was too late.

Hineline said he "ran to the back door and by that time flames was already to the back door and smoke was too much for me to even go in."

A family of five and friends live in the mobile home. Most of them were gone when the fire started. Hineline said because of Spanky and the other dog, no one died or got hurt.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the Red Cross was called to help the family.

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