Sept. 04--CHIPPEWA FALLS -- A town of Wheaton woman has her two dogs to thank for her escaping her burning house alive Wednesday morning.
Ann Sloop was sleeping on a couch at her home at 6178 50th St. when the fire started shortly before 1 a.m. The woman's dachshunds woke her, allowing her to exit the burning building.
When the Chippewa Fire District arrived at Sloop's home shortly after 1 a.m., heavy fire and smoke billowed from the front and rear of the structure, Deputy Chief John Andersen said.
Sloop and her dogs escaped the building just as the fire roared through the living room where she had been sleeping, Andersen said.
"She told me she's a heavy sleeper," Andersen said of Sloop. "She said the smoke detectors were going off. If the dogs hadn't woken her up, I don't think she would've gotten out of there."
Sloop declined to discuss the incident.
The house, built in 1997, is a total loss.
Andersen said he believes the fire began in a back bedroom, but he hasn't found its point of origin yet.
The Chippewa Fire District was assisted by the Elk Mound, Township, Colfax and Tilden fire departments. All four stations of the Chippewa Fire District responded to the call. About 30 fire district firefighters were at the scene.
Fire Department officials will continue to investigate the fire, but it is not considered suspicious, Andersen said.
Sloop was reached for comment but declined to discuss the incident.
Vetter can be reached at 715-723-0303 or [email protected].
Copyright 2014 - The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
