Second Sheridan Home Destroyed by Fire

A second home in Sheridan has been destroyed by fire in a week. At Saturday night/Sunday morning at around 3 am, Bob Belcher "California Bob" and Gladys Rowe were awakened by their dog barking. Belcher said that he initially thought that his dog simply wanted out, but that he discovered the blaze. He then woke Gladys up and they got out of the house. The Sheridan Fire Department responded within 20 minutes, but by then, it was already too late. The Fire Department elected to put the blaze out instead of letting it burn the house down to the ground so that it would not catch the trees on fire and spread to other houses. The house was the former Betty Dokken residence, where she had lived for many years. It was on the southeast corner of town.

Bob and Gladys credited their dog, Dudley, with saving their lives. "We never would have been alive without him," they said. Bob said that Dudley had been savagely kicked by someone just the week before and that and he had just had surgery at the vet. "The vet didn't think he was going to make it," he said. "I'm not a religious person, but he was kept alive for a reason." Bob said that he believes that the fire was caused by a space heater in the bathroom.

The blaze was so hot that it melted metal and the fire department had a difficult time opening the attic so that they could put it out. The Grant City Fire Department came to assist the Sheridan Fire Department. After the fire crews left, the blaze was so hot that it reignited twice; however, Brad Pickering came by both times to put it out again. As late as Sunday night, the smoke from the blaze could be smelled from across town. It could still be smelled as late as Monday morning.

Bob and Gladys received help from the area Red Cross and are staying at a hotel in Maryville for two nights. They were also given cash so that they could buy clothes and other supplies. They plan to buy a camper and stay in it for the winter where the house was, and then rebuild. They said that people were really good to them after the blaze. Bob said that Victoria Rush, who herself had lost a house to a fire, went out of her way to help show them what they needed to do. Kim Welch came by their hotel room in Maryville with some food; Bob said that she was very helpful as well. The Sheridan CBC will put together a fundraiser at a later date to help Bob and Gladys get back on their feet again.