How a dog died saving the life of a baby girl during a house fire.

The life of an eight-month-old girl has been saved by her dog after a ferocious blaze ripped through her home in the US.

Little Viv Poremski is in a critical condition after she found herself trapped on the second-floor of her house in Baltimore as a fire erupted around her last Sunday.

According to local television station WBAL, her mother Erika had stepped out of the house to go to her car when the blaze started, leaving mother and daughter separated by a wall of fire.

“I just heard her crying and I couldn’t get to her,” Poremski said told local news crews.

“I tried really hard. Everybody in the neighbourhood tried. They were kicking the doors in and kicking the windows out. I couldn’t (get her out). Nobody could.”

Erika suffered burns to her face and hands after repeatedly trying to force her way into the house to reach her baby.

When fire crews arrived at the scene, settled the blaze and reached the eight-month-old they found the family dog, Polo, with her and shielding her with his body.

“He stayed with her the whole time in the bedroom and wouldn’t even come downstairs to get out the door,” said Poremski.

In all his efforts to lie on top of the eight-month-old and prevent fatal burns, Polo lost his life in the blaze and saved the life of Viv who suffered burns to 19 per cent of her body.

Viv is now in a critical condition, with a GoFundMe page set up by Erika’s father to raise money for the baby’s medical expenses.

At the time of writing, more than $26,000 was raised in just four days for young Viv as many felt heartened by the heroic actions of the family’s late furry friend.

“Their dog Polo died a hero when he laid over top of Viv as the fire spread saving Viv from being burned over her complete body.

“Erika has been released from the hospital and Viv is in ICU at the children’s hospital. There is a lot of unknown concerning Viv. She is burned on 19 per cent of her body and is not awake as they are doing a lot of testing.

“They lost EVERYTHING. Any donations would be appreciated. Erika is in need of any help. Please keep these two beautiful souls in your prayers,” the page says.

At this stage, the Baltimore City Fire Department are yet to determine a cause of the fire, writing on Facebook it is “under investigation.”

*Feature image via GoFundMe.