Stamford fire officials say a local family has its dog to thank for their escape from a fire that destroyed their home Wednesday morning.

They say one of the family's dogs went up to the second floor of the home on Bittersweet Lane, and woke up its owners when the fire broke out just after midnight.

News 12 Connecticut was told the woman who lives in the home ran out of the house and down the street to find a cellphone signal so she could call 911.

Firefighters say there were no fire hydrants in the area, and they had to call local departments for backup. They say it took hours to put out the blaze, but in the end it was the family's dog who was the true hero.

Investigators say an overloaded circuit box might have started the fire.