ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 16, 1996 TAG: 9603180108
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
A DALMATIAN RESCUED from a blazing house in Salem was pulled out, barking, from the vacant building.
Traditionally, Dalmatians are seen accompanying firefighters on the way to a fire.
But a Dalmatian at the scene of a Salem house fire Friday found itself on the other end of the call.
Salem firefighters responded to the house on Hill Avenue about 9:20 a.m. after neighbors spotted smoke and called 911.
When they arrived, firefighters said they could hear a dog barking inside.
Firefighter Dalton Baugess found the shaking Dalmatian.
"We had to chase him around," he said. The dog even jumped onto the kitchen stove when firefighters tried to grab him.
But Baugess finally reached the dog and pulled him from the house. Animal control officers then rushed the dog to a veterinarian.
Other than being a little shaken up, the firefighters said the dog seemed fine.
Firefighters contained the fire to the second floor of the house, although the fire continued to burn for nearly an hour.
Assistant Fire Chief Pat Counts completed his investigation Friday afternoon and determined that the fire began in an upstairs room, apparently from a short circuit of electric wiring in the walls.
The house was vacant, except for a few items left by previous tenants, Counts said.
The house looked as if it was being remodeled, he said.
Counts spoke with the owner of the house, Jeff Washenberger of Salem, and said the dog belonged to a friend.
Washenberger was allowing the dog to be kept at the house temporarily, Counts said.
Washenberger could not be reached for comment Friday.
Counts estimated damage to the house at $15,000 to $20,000.
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ROGER HART/Staff Salem firefighters, after rescuing aby CNBtrapped Dalmatian, cut through a roof to let smoke escape. color