A Morrill Street family is lucky to be alive after an early morning fire gutted the basement of their home Saturday.

Gilford firefighters said a family dog barking furiously woke the family around 2 a.m. Saturday and they were all able to leave the two-story split level safely.

"My husband spoke to [Kevin Newquist] the owner of the home," said across-the-street neighbor Courtney Schwartzkoph, who said she woke to fire trucks coming from all directions. "He told my husband it was the little Shih Tzu that was barking."

The family has two other dogs that were unharmed.

Schwartzkoph said other neighbors told her the Newquist's furnace blew up, and, although fire officials have not given an official cause for the fire, the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid log reports the initial call as a "furnace fire."

Fire officials said the first person to arrive was an off-duty Laconia firefighter who reported everyone was out of the house and safe but smoke was coming from the home.

GAIL OBER/CITIZEN PHOTO THE CHARRED REMAINS of some of the Newquist's family possessions in the front yard of their Morrill Street home after a Saturday morning basement fire caused extensive damage. Click here to view Foster's prints for sale

Gilford fire companies arrived within minutes to find smoke coming from all stories and a "growing" fire in the basement.

"I heard they stored their wood down there, too," said Schwartzkoph.

The fire was contained to the basement, but fire officials said there was about $150,000 in damages to both the home and their belongings, including smoke and heat damage throughout the house.

At the present time, the home in uninhabitable and officials said the Red Cross is helping the family.

About 30 firefighters from Gilford, Laconia, Belmont, Tilton-Northfield and Meredith fought the blaze that took about 30 minutes to bring under control. Alton and Meredith also sent people for coverage in the Gilford Fire Station.