Apple's HomePod saved a family from a potentially fatal fire that was started by a very curious dog. At 4:43 a.m. on June 26, the Colorado Springs Fire Department was called to deal with a house fire. But when they arrived at the scene, they found the fire in the kitchen had been extinguished by the homeowner.
In a video posted on Facebook, CSFD showed surveillance footage from the room showing the fire was started by the owner's dog. The curious dog used its hind legs to explore the box on the stove.
It accidentally turned on a heating element under the box and walked away. Later, camera footage showed the stove on fire. Flames shot to the ceiling.
A homeowner was transported to a local hospital due to smoke inhalation. No injuries to humans or dogs were reported.
While the fire was an unusual occurrence, it was extinguished before firefighters arrived, in part thanks to the HomePod. Homeowners said they were awakened by an emergency notification on their Apple devices that allegedly warned of "high temperatures."
What's more likely is that the notification is actually part of a feature rolling out in early 2023. The feature utilizes the onboard microphone on the second-generation HomePod and HomePod mini to listen to smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, triggering alarms on the user's device.
This serves as a reminder to install effective smoke alarms inside and outside every sleeping area and on every floor of the house, the CSFD recommends. Also, make sure all combustibles are kept away from the stove or oven, and always know there are at least two ways out of every room in the event of a fire.