Winton woman suffers burns trying to save pet dogs from fire

Strong winds fanned a field fire Friday, torching a Winton home and burning a 72-year-old woman who desperately attempted to save the lives of several dogs.

Donna Clark said she cared for a number of dogs, including poodles, Maltese, shih tzus, Yorkshire terriers, dachshunds and a German shepherd puppy. They were kept behind her home in a large kennel. The exact number of animals was unclear, but most – if not all – were believed to have perished in the afternoon blaze.

“I tried to get to them, but the flames were too high,” Clark said, holding back tears. “They’re all dead. I could hear them screaming. The flames were too high. I just couldn’t get to them.”

The fire destroyed a home on the property owned by Clark and her 86-year-old husband, Howard. Glenda Leonard, the Battalion 16 fire chief, said the couple’s son lived in the house that was lost.

Leonard said it appeared the couple cared for at least 10 dogs and that Donna Clark did what she could to rescue them.

“She was running in while the fire was engulfing their house,” Leonard said.

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke, one of the first emergency responders on the scene, described Donna Clark’s injuries as second-degree burns.

Leonard said the fire was reported to them at 2:19 p.m. Vegetation in a field near the home was on fire and the winds caused the flames to cross onto the Clarks’ property, the chief said. It was unclear whether the vegetation had been intentionally set on fire and authorities were continuing to investigate, Leonard said.

The fire was the second major blaze in a week in Winton. On May 20, a wind-fueled fire swept through an apartment complex, destroying the 18-unit building and leaving more than 60 people without homes.

With temperatures beginning to heat up, Leonard urged the community to be extra cautious of burning debris and to clear their properties of weeds.

“They need to be aware of the temperatures that we have right now and, with the wind blowing as strong as we’re getting, the fires are moving at a fast rate of speed,” Leonard said. “They need to be cognizant of their property and clearing the vegetation away from their property.”

Howard Clark said Friday’s fire moved fast.

“My wife came through the back door and said the house was on fire,” he said. “It shot across the field at the speed of light, and it got me.”

Nine engines and three water tenders were among the teams responding, Leonard said. PG&E and the Red Cross also were called to assist.

Bettencourt Ranch employees driving a water truck helped fight the fire, spraying at least 4,000 gallons of water on the area.

Howard Clark said the water and electricity to his home were shut off. “We may not even have a place to sleep now.”

“I just can’t believe this happened,” he said. “I thought it was a grass fire, and the next thing you know there’s fire all over.”

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Winton woman suffers burns trying to save pet dogs from fire."