Dog that alerted CRR homeowner to fire dies in blaze

(Update: Adding Saturday evening fundraiser for homeowner at Big Dog Saloon)

A Crooked River Ranch man whose house caught fire late late Sunday night was awakened by his dog’s barking and escaped unhurt- but the dog was unable to escape and perished in the blaze, fire officials said.

Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue was called to the fire at a home the 9200 block of Southwest Shad Road around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The first units to arrive found flames leaping from the triple-wide manufactured home and spreading to the surrounding brush, Assistant Fire Chief Sean Hartley said.

The homeowner, Leland Moore Jr., was confirmed to be safely out of the home and unhurt.

Crews began attacking both the structure and wildland fire, and the brush fire was quickly brought under control and mopped up, Hartley said. But crews remained on the scene until Monday afternoon, mopping up and overhauling the house fire, a task made more difficult because the roof had collapsed and getting inside was unsafe for firefighters.

A mechanical lift was brought in Monday morning to allow fire crews to access the roof and put out the remaining fire.

The dog’s barking awakened the homeowner before the smoke alarms sounded, and when he left his bedroom to see what the dog was barking about, he saw the house was on fire and filling with smoke. The smoke alarms sounded at that point, Hartley said, but the dog apparently got separated from the homeowner as he fled.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Hartley said.

The home and contents were a total loss, with the value of the home estimated at $110,000. No dollar value has been estimated yet for the home’s contents.

American Red Cross disaster assistance was offered, but Moore already had contacted family, the assistant chief said.

Mutual-aid assistance was provided by Redmond Fire and Rescue, the Sisters Camp Sherman and Cloverdale rural fire districts, the U.S. Forest Service and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Hartley also said the Big Dog Saloon at CRR plans a fundraiser for Moore Saturday from 5-9 p.m., with live music and a barbecue dinner.