Fire claims home, woman's pet dogs

In the early hours on Sunday morning, February 1, the siren on Puget Island was activated. Soon it seemed the wailing of every emergency vehicle in the county had taken its place. Betty Brown's home, just before the ferry landing, was on fire.

Brown woke slowly despite the persistent barks of a service dog named Sparky and the repeat of the smoke alarm. She wandered down the hallway to discover a fire at her kitchen table.

"I tried to put it out," Brown said, "but it just got bigger."

Brown ran out the door, screaming, which woke her friend and neighbor, Jered Vert. Brown turned around and tried to go back in for her two dogs, Sparky and Katie, but the fire had grown too big in those few moments and it was far too hot. Vert did what he could, trying to find water, trying to locate the dogs, calling 911.

The Puget Island Fire Department, the Cathlamet Fire Department, District 4 Fire Department, Skamokawa Fire Department and the Cathlamet ambulance arrived. The PUD turned off power to the home.

Brown, a caregiver, left her home in a nightgown, long johns, socks and slippers. Everything else is gone, including her vehicle. And her two beloved dogs.

She knows she is alive because of Sparky.

"Sparky was special," Erick Erickson, Brown's friend said. "A godsend from the beginning, just a unique faithful service dog. I adopted him from the Humane Society in Cowlitz County. I couldn't take care of him anymore, so Betty would take him home. We shared him."

Sparky, an Australian silky terrier was abandoned as a puppy and came to the Humane Society in Cowlitz County unhappy, unhealthy and filthy. He warmed up quickly when he found a home with Erickson. Sparky was trained and certified as a United States Service Dog to help Erickson, who had a stroke more than 10 years ago.

"Sparky became strong and protective," Erickson said. "When his special jacket was on, he knew he was on duty."

"That dog was uncanny," Erickson said. "He played with me last week in a way he hadn't played with me in a long time. It's like he knew."

Sparky is gone now and so his best girl, Katie, Brown's other dog.

Brown is okay. For now she has a roof over her head and a job for the foreseeable future, but she is still in shock and heartbroken over the loss of her pets, especially Sparky, who was a service dog until the end.

The source of the fire was determined to be a candle, according to Sheriff Mark Howie.

A fund has been set up for Brown at the Bank of the Pacific.