A Woodward home was destroyed by fire Friday afternoon, but the owner escaped unharmed and was able to save his dogs.
Daniel Harless of 208 E. First St. in Woodward said he was working in his garage a little after 3 p.m. when he heard his dogs barking. When he came out to check on them, he discovered the house was on fire.
Woodward Police Chief Joseph Cox said he reported the fire at 3:11 p.m.
Cox said he arrived at the police station and saw smoke at the Harless house, which lies east of the station. Cox said he assumed the smoke was from burning yard waste but when he made a closer inspection, he “saw Harless come running around the corner of the house and kick in the door, trying to save his dogs.”
Harless said his dogs got out unharmed, but the whereabouts of his two cats are unknown at this hour. The Martensdale native said he has lived in the house about three years.
The cause of the fire in the 128-year-old structure is under investigation.
The house was fully engulfed when the Woodward Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene to fight the blaze, with mutual aid from the Bouton Volunteer Fire Department, Granger Volunteer Fire Department, Madrid Volunteer Fire Department, Ogden Volunteer Fire Department and Perry Volunteer Fire Department.
The Woodward Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s office and Dallas County EMS also responded.
ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.
One would think Agni, the god of fire, would be appeased what with four major conflagrations, two dogs, three cats and the considerable turmoil inflicted on several human lives all placed on his altar recently. Let us hope he is sated for now. He has been a glutton of late.