Pit bull hailed a hero for saving family from fire (VIDEO)

CARBONDALE, Penn. -- If a dog is man's best friend, then Lou the pit bull may be a guardian angel.

According to WNEP, the family's home caught fire early around 4:30 Saturday morning.

Chris Julian, Kelly Yarbrough and two of their four children were home at the time. Their dog's frantic barking was the only thing that woke them up.

“There's a fire behind the door. I grabbed the door. It was red-hot,” said Julian. “All I screamed was, ‘Call 911! There's a fire,' and by the time I got back to the room, there was no time to think, nothing.”

“The fire was coming through the door and the dog saved our lives, and if it wasn’t for him we’d all be dead right now,” said Yarbrough.

They made it out with only the clothes on their backs.



The family said they were thankful that they had all watched a movie together the night before because the children were sleeping in their room.

“We made a bed on the floor and laid them on the floor and had I not, I probably wouldn't have been able to get them out of their bedroom,” said Yarbrough.

Julian said it's ironic that first the family rescued Lou, who had been abused by a previous owner, and now the dog they saved has rescued them.

“I'm telling you, I'm just grateful to have him,” said Julian.

“I'm grateful for God and the way that it did happen,” said Yarbrough. “I'm grateful God gave me Lou, our dog, and I'm grateful for the Red Cross to help us as much as they could.”