A family dog alerted his family to a fire in their home, allowing them to escape.

Denise Brown, of Beachwood, says that it was her pit bull Zeus’ barking that alerted her family about the fire.

“We couldn’t even open the door because the flames were shooting up and the smoke was so bad,” Brown says. “Zeus really saved the day. If he didn’t bark, who knows?”

Brown says that the fire broke out inside the home early Monday morning. She says that she suspects that it was caused by a faulty electrical outlet. She says that Zeus sensed that something was wrong before the smoke alarms went off.

“We had an air conditioning unit in my son’s room plugged in into this outlet,” Brown says.

Brown says that flames and smoke had already broken through the windows of the house by the time firefighters arrived. She says that her spare room was torched.

Luckily the family was able to escape, along with their two cats and other dog.

“If that fire would have spread into that hallway and my son and his girlfriend were in the room, they might not have been able to get out,” Brown says. “[Zeus] is just an awesome boy. We’re just very grateful he was home when this fire happened.”

Brown says that the family adopted Zeus after he was abused by three previous owners. But she says that the 5-year-old dog is known for being sweet and loveable.

The Beachwood home is currently uninhabitable, but Brown says that the family plans to rebuild when they can.