Saturday, November 08, 2008
Crews save dog from burning house
The resident was at work, but there was significant property loss on Sierra Drive.
Photos by Jordan Fifer | The Roanoke Times
The house has extensive fire damage, including a partial roof collapse. Several vehicles and two nearby structures were also damaged.
Firefighters were able to rescue the homeowner's dog from the burning house.
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Investigators were still trying to determine Friday evening the source of an afternoon fire that caused extensive damage to a home in North Roanoke County.
According to Fire-EMS spokeswoman Jennifer Conley Sexton, crews from the Hollins and Vinton stations, and another from a Roanoke station, were called to the two-story wood-frame structure in the 5900 block of Sierra Drive about 2 p.m.
When firefighters arrived, she said, the flames had already burned through the roof, and the heat was so intense it melted the siding off a detached garage, as well as a neighboring home. Some electrical supply wires also were damaged.
Crews had the blaze under control within about 45 minutes, Conley Sexton said, but the split-level residence sustained extensive fire damage including a partial roof collapse. A damage estimate was not available, nor was the cause of the fire, but several neighbors said the first sign of smoke they saw came from a 1990 Chevrolet Silverado. The pickup appeared to have been destroyed by the fire, and two other vehicles in the driveway also were damaged.
Mark Couch, who lives alone at the house, was at work Friday when a neighbor called and told him his house was on fire. He said the first thing that sprang to his mind was his 10-year-old dog, a white Maltese named Keelee that was in the burning house.
"I ran straight out the door, and I must've broke every speed limit because I wasn't stopping," Couch said.
Firefighters rescued the animal with no problem, and no injuries have been reported.
After the fire was extinguished, Couch stood by the burnt remains of the house, stroking Keelee's head.
"She's like a part of me," he said. "She's the best dog you could have."
