Caught on video: Puppy starts New Mexico house fire

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico — Puppy-play, literally, is to blame for a recent house fire, Los Alamos County firefighters told ABC affiliate KOAT.

When investigators took a look at home surveillance at a Los Alamos home, they saw 9-month-old Kahuna playing with several items that were set up near the home’s floor grate for a radiant heat furnace.

The homeowner told investigators he didn’t have any items on top of the floor grate but had an ironing board, clothes basket, ottoman and some other items set up near the grate.

The video shows Kahuna climbing onto the ottoman and then the ironing board, causing it to topple over on top of the floor grate. According to investigators, the heat from the grate caused some items to melt, which then seeped into the heater and turned into the necessary fuel to initiate the fire inside the furnace unit.

It took about an hour from the time the ironing board tipped over for the fire to start, officials said.

Crews were able to quickly respond to the fire, extinguishing the blaze and limit the structural damage, officials said. Luckily the dogs were quickly evacuated and did not suffer any injuries.

The department is reminding all homeowners to make sure smoke alarms are installed and properly working, that no combustible items be placed on or within three feet of any heating device or heat-producing appliances and to ensure there an escape plan in place.