A barking dog might have been instrumental in helping save a family of four from an early-morning blaze that appeared to start in the ceiling of a two-story house in Whispering Pines.

The fire, reported at 2:40 a.m., burned through the roof of the house and caused extensive damage, said Whispering Pines Fire Chief Scott Bullard. A firefighter was also injured while fighting the fire. He was transported to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, treated and released.

"It's fair to say that a barking dog alerted the family (that the house was on fire)," Bullard said, "and may very well have saved their lives." He indicated that he wasn't sure if the dog belonged to the family or was a neighbor's dog. The house is located on Countess Court in the Princess Gate subdivision.

The family escaped the house safely, suffering no injuries, Bullard said.

A Whispering Pines firefighter was injured while inside the house fighting the fire, suffering slight burns to his leg. Bullard said it hadn't been determined exactly what happened, but that the injured firefighter was one of several that were inside the house.

Bullard said that his assistant chief, who was among the first responders to the scene, reported that the house was about 50 percent involved when the first Whispering Pines fire truck arrived on the scene. Flames could be seen shooting through the roof of the house. The fire was eventually brought under control by 4:28 a.m.

He said that the cause of the fire was still under investigation by Moore County Fire Marshall Ken Skipper.

Joining Whispering Pines in responding to the fire were the Southern Pines, Circle V, Carthage, Pinehurst, Eastwood and Seven Lakes fire departments. Also on the scene were Moore County EMS, officials with Moore County Public Safety and the Whispering Pines Rescue Squad.