A 62-year-old woman and her family's four dogs died in a fire early Sunday that caused an estimated $1 million in damage to a home in the Spaulding Lake neighborhood in Clarence.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office identified the woman Monday afternoon as Joan S. Wozer.
Clarence Fire Company Chief Brett Hanford, who was first on the scene of the fire at 2:43 a.m., told The Buffalo News Monday that three people and one dog were able to escape the flames.
The Erie County Sheriff’s Office reported Sunday that deputies are investigating the cause of the blaze at 4720 Spaulding Drive. Anyone with photos or videos relevant to the fire investigation is asked to contact the voicemail of Detective Scott Kuhlmey at 716-858-2579.
When Hanford arrived at the house, the first floor was fully engulfed, with fire billowing through bay windows, front door and second-floor windows, he said. His company was joined by Clarence Center and Main-Transit firefighters just a few minutes after the 911 call.
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The fire appeared to have originated in the rear right of the house, he said, because that area had the "highest concentration of char."
Given the size of the home and volume of fire, Hanford quickly called for second and third alarms, which led to assistance in firefighters and equipment from Harris Hill, Newstead, East Amherst and Swormville fire companies.
A rescue attempt was made for Wozer, who was in a second-floor bedroom, by dousing the flames as a ladder was set up.
The $1 million in damages was split between $700,000 in structural damage and $300,000 in contents.
"The way the fire service works together – it's truly remarkable and amazing to watch," Hanford said. The Clarence chief praised the coordinated response, efforts of dispatchers and responsibility of other companies that helped with standby.
The upscale Spaulding Lake neighborhood was quiet later Sunday morning as an Erie County Water Authority worker assessed the water line in the yard in front of the burned house.
Windows and doors were boarded up, particularly on the north side of the two-story structure, where ash covered the grass separating the yard from its neighbors.
The Spaulding Lake development sits on a large tract north of Main Street, to the east of Goodrich Road.
Ben Tsujimoto can be reached at btsujimoto@buffnews.com, at (716) 849-6927 or on Twitter at @Tsuj10.