Teen saves family's lives after alerting them to Duluth house fire
A teenager "likely" saved their family's lives after a fire destroyed their home in Duluth, with authorities saying a charcoal grill was the likely cause.
The fire department said a teenager in the home on the 1500 block of 101st Avenue West alerted a sibling and their parents, who were all able to escape without injuries along with the three family dogs.
The home sustained significant fire and smoke damage, with investigators deeming it "a total loss."
It was reported at around 12:35 a.m. Sunday, with firefighters arriving to find the single-family home's back deck and stairs fully engulfed in flames.
The fire eventually spread inside the house and shattered windows, and moved quickly throughout the building due to open doors to the house and the nature of the building's construction.
It took about four hours to put the fire out, according to officials.
The family was able to find shelter with other family members following the fire.
Damages to the building are estimated to be around $150,000 and another $100,000 is lost for contents inside the home.
The fire remains under investigation.
