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Officials: Neighbor Helps Alert Family In Large East Bethel House Fire

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thanks to an alert neighbor, a family in East Bethel was able to get out safely after their home caught fire overnight.

Firefighters were called to a house fire on Naples Street around 2 a.m. Monday. The fire was fueled by heavy winds.

The Anoka County Sheriff's office said the parents and a least one child got out safely.

Large East Bethel Fire
(credit: CBS)

According to Anoka County Sheriff's Office Commander Paul Sommer, a neighbor just happened to be up late, relaxing in her hot tub outside when she noticed the smoke and flames.

Sommer says she ran to the home that was on fire and began to bang on the doors and windows – alerting the family. The family and pets were able to get out and the neighbor took the family into her own home.

Sommer says if not for the actions of the neighbor, the family could have been killed as the fire spread quickly.

Firefighters from five departments came to work the scene. It took them a few hours to get the fire out.

We're told the house is all but completely destroyed.

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