Chicken saves lives of Alma Center couple

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ALMA CENTER - A pet chicken is credited with saving the lives of a western Wisconsin couple in a fire that destroyed their home.

Alma Center Fire Chief Jeff Gaede told WEAU-TV in Eau Claire that the chicken woke the couple up around 6:15 yesterday morning, after a fire started in the attic of their attached garage. Smoke alarms had not gone off by then.

The couple escaped unharmed, as did the chicken and a cat. But another cat died. A neighbor, Brad Krueger, said he raised the chicken on his farm until some dogs chased it away – and the couple’s been caring for the clucker ever since.

The cause of the blaze is still being investigated. Gaede said he’s heard of dogs-and-cats rescuing people from fires – but he’s never heard of a chicken doing it.

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