"The time we got out, the flames were all over the house," Sharon Berger said. Berger and her youngest son were sleeping downstairs in their home in the 16000-block of South River Road when her 13-year-old son, Alex, woke them. He said their dog, Payton, had alerted him to the fire.
"Payton barks a lot. So, I heard him bark but I just ignored it. But Alex got up -- and he saw the fire and got us out," Berger said.
"It did not seem real," Alex Berger said. "I probably wouldn't have woken up."
The Plainfield deputy fire chief said the home was destroyed and will be torn down. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but they are looking at the trash can area.
"The dog woke them up. So she was sleeping downstairs outside where the fire actually started. One son came and woke her up. They all got out of the house, so that's a blessing itself," said Deputy Chief John Stratton, Plainfield Fire Department.
"If it was not for him working with Payton to get everybody up and out of the house this would not be quite as nice a story. I think Alex deserves a lot of credit," neighbor Stacy Heitikko said.
Two days ago, Berger said a psychic told her the dog was very important to the family.
"She brought up my dog and said he is still young but he is going to take good care of you guys. He is a savior. We're very lucky. Someone is watching out for us," Berger said.
