OCALA, Fla. – Firefighters in Ocala praised a man for his actions after he reported smoke coming from his neighbor's home in Silver Springs Shores.
In a Facebook post, Marion County Fire Rescue officials lauded the man for calling authorities to report the emergency.
"MCFR would like to thank the 911 caller for alerting us to this fire," the post read.
September 4, 2018: **MCFR Saves 3 Residents from Shores Structure Fire** At 7:47am, MCFR units were dispatched to the...
Posted by Marion County Fire Rescue on Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Fire crews said the man called 911 around 7:45 a.m. after he tried banging on the front door of the family's home to alert them, but no one answered.
When firefighters arrived at the home on Southeast 89 Place, they forced their way inside, where they were met with heavy smoke, officials said.
While searching the home, crews found two adults and a child asleep in their beds. All three residents made it out safely.
Fire crews also found a dog named Lilly inside that they were able to move to a safe location away from the home as they worked to put out the flames, according to Marion County Fire Rescue officials.
Officials said they later determined that the fire began in the oven in the kitchen.
Firefighters said there were two smoke detectors found inside the home, but it's unclear whether they were in working condition.
Fire crews did not say how damaged the home was by the flames but in pictures from the scene, it did not appear to be a complete loss.