Parrot calls out owner’s name, saves him from house fire in Australia

The bird called out its owner’s name even before the smoke detectors could detect the alarm.

Published on: Nov 5, 2020, 24:22:43 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Trisha Sengupta

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

In today’s edition of why-pets-are-great, we have the story of a brave bird that saved its human from a house fire. Turns out, the pet parrot named Eric sounded alarm about the fire even before the smoke detectors and helped in saving its human’s life. The incident took place in Queensland, Australia.

The parrot is named Eric (representative image). (Unsplash)

“I heard a bang and Eric — my parrot — he started to yell so I woke up and I smelled a bit of smoke,” Anton Nguyen, Eric’s owner, told ABC news. “I grabbed Eric, opened the door and looked to the back of the house and saw some flames. And so I grabbed my bag and took off and bolted downstairs,” he added.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ Acting Inspector Cam Thomas told ABC news that the bird squawked “Anton! Anton!”, the name of its human, which alerted him and helped him avert the danger.

“The fire’s pretty much well engulfed the whole premise, with exposures on the left hand side that have needed protecting with some blistering on the exterior,” added Thomas.

The fire department is now investigating the house to find what caused the fire.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta
Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

Australia

Discover the latest Trending News, viral videos, social media stories and unusual events from India and around the world. Stay updated with the topics everyone is talking about.