So tragic....
Here is a link to see video
http://cbs3.com/video/?id=32383@kyw.dayport.com
From The Morning Call
November 4, 2006
Kennel fire kills 61 dogs
Slate Belt business was known for string of prize-winners.
By Arlene Martínez Of The Morning Call
Ashes from a coal stove used to heat a Slate Belt kennel known for its prize-winning dogs probably caused a quick-spreading fire that killed 61 dogs, authorities said Friday.
Edgewood Kennels owners George and Cindy Hill were vacationing in Vermont when the fire started shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday at 940 Richmond Road in Washington Township, Northampton County.
''[The caretakers] were just tending to the fire, and ash fell out of the stove. It was accidental,'' said Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief George Abt.
The embers fell onto a wood floor, but Abt wasn't sure what other materials might have caused the fire to spread.
By 11:30 p.m. the fire was contained. Firefighters were able to keep it from spreading to the owners' house, which is next to the kennel, Abt said.
The kennel's caretakers rescued six to nine dogs, he said. Heavy smoke kept firefighters from retrieving the other animals.
Kennel employees declined to comment Friday, asking a reporter and photographer to leave the property.
Edgewood breeds Yorkshire terriers, Maltese and Chihuahuas, but dogs of varying backgrounds have spent their formative years at the kennel. Many went on to win local, state and national titles, including awards of merit and best of breed.
Countless hours go into getting dogs to a show-quality level. Winning dogs must be perfectly groomed and demonstrate discipline and personality.
The dog's value ''depends on a lot of factors — the bloodlines, the show quality,'' said Bonnie Hackett, who for 20 years has owned Hackett's Kennels in Kresgeville.
Edgewood has a long list of former boarders that went on to illustrious careers. Most recently, the Yorkshire terrier Sky High Blue Jag took an award of merit at the 2005 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Denise Butz has lived two houses away from the kennel for nearly 30 years. She's gotten three animals from Edgewood, including her cat, a snowshoe Siamese. ''All the neighbors are very animal-oriented. I'm very sorry for their loss,'' she said.
Regardless of whether a dog's ancestry is unknown or whether papers tracing its lineage are readily available, the loss of a pet is ''heartbreaking,'' said Hackett. ''Your pet is priceless.''
This is at least the second fire at the kennel, which is more than 30 years old. In 1988, about 40 dogs died when a leak in the fuel oil tank spread to a nearby wood stove, officials said.
arlene.martinez@mcall.com
610-559-2147
Copyright © 2006, The Morning Call