When we think of devices that have proven their usefulness in saving human lives, Apple is at the forefront. Apple Watches and iPhones have helped people in medical or emergency situations. Now, another Apple device, the HomePod, has proven its usefulness. The Apple HomePod is now being credited with saving a family in the US from a potentially devastating house fire, which was accidentally set by their pet dog.

The incident took place on the morning of June 26 when the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) received an emergency call about a house fire at around 4:43 a.m. Upon arriving on the scene, officers found that the fire in the kitchen had already been extinguished by the homeowners. The homeowners explained how they found out about the fire through a notification from their HomePod, which woke them up in time to prevent the fire from spreading.

According to a post by CSFD on Facebook, the family’s dog inadvertently started the fire by turning on the stove. Security footage showed that the dog accidentally turned on one of the heating elements while standing on its hind legs in an attempt to check some boxes placed on the stovetop. Soon after, the boxes caught fire and flames began to spread to the ceiling.

Fortunately, the homeowners were alerted by their HomePod, which they initially thought had sent a “high temperature” notification. Although Apple’s HomePod doesn’t have a high temperature alert feature, it is equipped with voice recognition technology. This feature allows the HomePod to detect the sound of smoke alarms and other critical alerts and send notifications to connected devices like iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. It’s likely that the HomePod recognized the sound of the smoke alarm and sent a critical alert to the homeowners’ device.

Notably, Apple had announced the first-generation HomePod at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5, 2017. However, the launch was delayed and Apple began taking orders for the smart speaker in January, 2018 after its final release on February 9, 2018. The latest HomePod is the second-generation model, which was announced on January 18, 2023.

The second-generation HomePod features improved sound quality and a more compact design. It runs on Apple’s S7 chip, includes the Apple U1 chip for ultra-wideband support, and offers Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth 5 connectivity. Additionally, the second-generation HomePod supports the Thread network protocol and has a larger touch screen panel. It also gained the ability to detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through a software update in April 2023. In India, the HomePod is currently selling for Rs 32,900, while the HomePod mini is available on Apple’s official website for Rs 10,900.