Manitoba teen credits dog with saving her life as blaze destroys family home

A teenager from a rural Manitoba community credits her dog with waking her up and saving her after her family's house caught fire last week.

Nakita Pomehichuk, 17, wasalone with her dog, Eska,in her family's home in Sidney, Man., last Thursday.

It was aroundnoon when she said she was awoken by Eska, a Siberian husky-malamute cross, jumping on her.

"I just thought maybe she had to go outsideuntil I opened my eyes," said Pomehichuk. "She wanted out for a different reason."

'Intense' fire

Pomehichuk said she discovered the house filled with smoke and made her way out with the dog. Within 20 minutes, she said, the house in the community about 140 kilometres west of Winnipeg was fully engulfed in flames.

"It was pretty intense," she said, standing outside a home in nearby Austin, Man., where her family is staying for now.

Her mom, Terry Bruhm, said she got a call at workalerting her to the fire.

"My mind was blank," she said. "I was shocked."

Bruhm said she raced home and found the house, where her family has lived for around 10 years, nearly destroyed. Firefighters from three different departments were on scene trying to contain the blaze, she said.

"There was no house. It was terrible," said Bruhm. "There was no way of being able to stop it."

Family loses everything

The fire left the family with nothing more than the clothes they were wearing.The family didn't have insurance.

They also lost a dog, two cats and a rabbit in the fire.

Pomehichuk said she tried to go back in and save the animals, but the fire was already too well involved.

Bruhm said the day started off like any other she got ready for work and the kids went off to school. Her husband, a nephew and a cousin later went out to cut some wood, leaving Nakita, who is home-schooled, at home alone.

Shortly after, the house caught fire, Bruhm said.

She said members of her community, and other nearby towns, have donated money, food and clothes to help replace some of what was lost.

But some things are irreplaceable, she said.

Bruhm lost a son in 2013 and said all of his keepsakeswere destroyed in the blaze.

"I'll never get it back, ever. That's what crushes me the most."

Fire accidental: RCMP

RCMP believe the fire was accidental and may have originatedin the wood stove area of the home an explanation Bruhm said her family doesn't believe.

"The matter is not criminal in nature," Sgt. Paul Manaigre said in an email on Tuesday.

For now, the family is taking things day by day and staying close including Eska.

"She's definitely a pretty good dog," said Pomehichuk. "She won't leave my side."

The fire "was pretty scary," she said. "Itmust have been scary for her too."

The family hopes to eventually rebuild on the same corner lot once the rubble is cleaned up.

"We have to stay strong for our kids and that's what we're doing," said Bruhm. "Trying to, I guess."

Dog saves owners life during house fire

5 years ago

Duration 1:57

A teenager from a rural Manitoba community credits her dog with waking her up and saving her after her family's house caught fire last week.