Four-legged fire alarm saved elderly couple

OMAHA – An elderly couple in Omaha was in danger and they didn’t know it, but it wasn’t the neighbor’s smoke alarm that alerted them to the fire.

Monday night Debbie Robbins was doing laundry in the basement while a roast was cooking on the main floor.

“I looked up the stairs and the whole kitchen was filled with smoke. Just filled with smoke,” said Robbins. “I was in too big of a hurry and I left it on high. I didn’t put the lid on it, I forgot.”

Their smoke alarm didn’t go off, but it was an alarm of sorts that got Debbie’s attention.

“Howled the loudest howl and didn’t stop. Just one right after the other. So loud it was ear piercing,” said Robbins.

One of her cats was warning her of the fire.

“A cat saved our lives and when I told him that yesterday, he probably thought I was bat crap crazy,” said Robbins.

The cat’s name is Smokey, ironically enough.

Smokey slipped out and hasn’t been seen since.

Robbins not worried, Smokey comes home every night.

She’s a stray that Robbins saved as a kitten four years ago, now Smokey is returning the favor.

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