Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A Southland family says their dog's search for snacks could have turned lethal if it wasn't for smoke alarms.
Their Mataura home was well ablaze when firefighters arrived on Tuesday morning.
The culprit was their cocker spaniel who accidentally turned on a stove element while searching for food, heating up a pot of oil.
The oil ignited, absorbing grease from the rangehood filter and spreading through the house, gutting it.
Fire and Emergency senior risk reduction advisor Murray Milne-Maresca said the family was able to escape in time after being alerted by their smoke alarms.
"If they didn't have their smoke alarms, the outcome of this fire could have been far worse," Milne-Maresca said.
"It spread quickly throughout the home and was well ablaze by the time our first crew got there around six minutes after the 111 calls came in."
He had never heard of a dog starting a fire in such a way.
"We often hear of canines alerting occupants to a fire, but this dog starting a fire highlighted the fact that you just never know how a fire might start in your home," he said.
"It really underlines the importance of having working smoke alarms, as well as a three-step escape plan, because a house fire can kill in less than three minutes.
"You have to have a way of being alerted to a fire, and you have to know how to get out if the worst does happen to you."
Fire and Emergency has an online tool to help people to create their own escape plans on its website.