A shaken female doberman pinscher was examined and comforted by Emlenton Ambulance medics on Monday at the scene of a fire on Woods Road in Venango Township. The owners or occupants of the small house were not home when flames erupted, but the dog appeared and wandered around the property as firefighters battled the blaze. She was not injured.

VENANGO TWP — A four-legged resident was the only one home on Monday afternoon when flames broke out at a rural property on Woods Road.

Ryan Enscoe, assistant fire chief at Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department, said heavy flames were visible when the fire chief arrived on scene.

“Half of the building was fully involved,” Enscoe said.

No one was home at the story-and-a-half, gray sided home, but a female doberman pinscher appeared and went in the back door when firefighters opened it, Enscoe said. She quickly retreated upon meeting heavy smoke and heat.

Emlenton Ambulance medics checked out the dog and reported that she had no burns on the pads of her feet or anywhere else, indicating she was not inside the home when the fire erupted.

The shaking animal was comforted by firefighters and ambulance personnel, who called the 911 center to ask them to contact the county humane officer to tend to the dog until the home's owners could be found.

The dog walked nervously around the house and did not leave the property as the firefighters battled the blaze.

A trampoline, tire swing and bicycle on the lawn indicated that a child might live at the house. No neighboring homes could be seen from the property.Enscoe said the owners or occupants had not been found as of 2 p.m.Because of the heavy damage and collapsed floor in the house, Enscoe said he could not immediately evaluate a possible cause for the fire.While he could not estimate a damage amount, he said the home is a total loss.In addition to Eau Claire, firefighters from Bruin, North Washington, Emlenton, Clintonville, Marion Township, Parker and West Sunbury volunteer fire departments assisted at the scene.A Central Electric Cooperative crew arrived at around 1 p.m. to disconnect the electricity at the smoldering home.Enscoe said no firefighters were injured in the blaze.

Firefighters from eight fire departments battled a blaze Monday afternoon on Woods Road in Venango Township. The home was a total loss.