German dog reaching for treats sets kitchen on fire

A Great Dane accidentally set his owner's kitchen on fire in the east German town of Reichenbach on Monday.

Police said that firefighters responded to the scene, a ground floor apartment, and that three people in the home had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The fire was ignited through a series of unfortunate events that began with the dog's quest to snatch a treat while his 36-year-old owner was not looking.

As the treat was resting on a wooden board above the stove, the large dog tried to reach it by resting its paws on the surface of the stove.

But with this move, the canine inadvertently activated the one of the stove's burners.

According to the police report, this caused the wooden board to catch on fire and then the flames spread to the kitchen cabinets.

Authorities said firefighters were able to put the fire out quickly and reported that the dog was frightened, but unharmed.

The fire resulted in property damage to the kitchen, which police said was estimated at €20,000 ($22,500).

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