By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A small barn used as a kennel was destroyed by fire in Winlock this morning, along with several dogs inside.
The resident was able to rescue some dogs from a nearby building when the blaze broke out on the 700 block of South Military Road.
“Those dogs were saved, those dogs will be fine,” Lewis County Fire District 15 Assistant Chief Kevin Anderson said. “It’s a pretty sad circumstance for the family, but things could have been a lot worse.”
Firefighters from three departments called about 6:30 a.m. found the barn fully involved in flames and fought it defensively, Anderson said.
They kept the second barn and a utility trailer from burning, but the main structure and its contents were a total loss, he said. Its metal roof collapsed, he said.
Anderson said the couple are dog breeders. He thought the animals were Labradors, both adults and puppies. He did not know how many perished.
The cause is under investigation.