Belgian Malinois,The miracle dog

A home was destroyed in a blaze that firefighters took six hours to get under control, but Mia the family's dog miraculously survived the ordeal.

The one-year-old Belgian Malinois had to open four doors to get down to the basement to hide in a bathtub filled with cold water.

Firefighters in Greenville, South Carolina, were amazed to find her uninjured Thursday

Piedmont Park Fire Capt. Duane Brock said the fire was extremely difficult to put out because of the size of the house and the intensity of the flames.

Mia's owner Chris Brumby was equally amazed, naturally assuming the animal had perished in the flames and intense heat.

Mr Brumby said: 'She acts like a human for most things.

'And that kind of showed it. She knew where to go and hide.'

He said Mia was able to get to a bathtub on the lowest level of the house, where she waited as firefighters doused the home with water.

Mr Brock said that as the water ran down into the basement, it filled the bathtub and soaked Mia, keeping her safe from flames.

Mr Brumby added that the dog learned how to open doors throughout the house.

He said when firefighters brought her out of the house, she was wet, dazed and covered in soot.

'She literally had steam coming off of her,' he said.

Mr Brumby, his wife Codi and their two children were out to dinner when the fire started.

He said the house was a total loss, but that they were relieved that the dog survived.

On being reunited with her, he said: 'That was a pretty special moment for us.

'She's definitely part of the family.'
About 30 firefighters from the Piedmont Park, Parker, Lake Cunningham and Taylors Fire Departments battled the fire for two hours before getting the flames under control.

Fire crews then spent the next four hours putting out hot spots and cleaning up.

Mr Brock said that heat and smoke in the structure was far too widespread for internal access.

An EMS unit was called to the fire, which is routine, but since no one besides Mia was home, there were no injuries.

Mr Brock said investigators believe flames started in the attic, but they don't know how.

Fire investigators returned to the scene Friday morning, trying to find what sparked the flames.