Dogs and staff members escaped a fire Tuesday afternoon, June 24, that destroyed A Howlin’ Good Time Doggie Daycare, Hotel and Grooming, 1595 Miller Road, in Imperial, the Rock Community Fire Protection District reported.
Alyson Rotter, Rock Fire public information officer, said 70 dogs and all employees safely evacuated the business before a fire that appears to have started in the attic collapsed the building’s roof. She said the cause of the fire was still being investigated today, June 25, but it did not appear to suspicious.
During the blaze, A Howlin’ Good Time posted on its Facebook page the need for leashes for the dogs, later saying enough leashes had been provided. The company also thanked employees from nearby Real McCoy Body Worx Inc., 1591 Miller Road, for helping evacuate the dogs, the community for providing supplies for staff and the animals and the Meramec-Arnold Elks Lodge No. 2372, 1515 Miller Road, for allowing the business to use the Elks’ building for owners to retrieve their dogs.
“All staff and dogs got out safely and are resting comfortably,” A Howlin’ Good Time said in the post Tuesday. “Again, thank you all for your love and support during this time. Know that we truly love every last one of you and your furbabies.”
Rotter said Rock Fire was dispatched at 2:44 p.m., and the first firetruck arrived at 2:49 p.m. She said firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the building when they arrived.
Firefighters initially entered the building to try to put out the fire, but they had to quickly exit as conditions became unsafe.
“It (the building) did have a partial collapse after everyone evacuated,” Rotter said.
Rotter said the fire was under control at 4:02 p.m., and the scene was cleared at 6:22 p.m.
Due to the heat, Rotter said multiple alarms were struck with the Antonia, De Soto Rural, Dunklin, Fenton, Mehlville and Saline Valley fire protection districts and Herculaneum Fire Department helping to fight the blaze. She also said the Rock Township Ambulance District responded to the call.
“We had extra equipment and manpower, so we could cycle through firefighters as quickly as possible,” she said.
Rotter said canteens were set up for firefighters to drink water and use ice and towels to cool down. She said De Soto Rural provided an air-conditioned trailer, and Rock Township personnel checked firefighters’ vital signs as they rotated between fighting the fire and resting.
She said Midwest Petroleum, which owns a nearby gas station at 5209 Warren Road, donated beverages and ice for the firefighters.
Rotter also praised the work of Jefferson County 911 dispatchers for coordinating the response, and the community for helping the business.
“It was definitely an all-hands-on-deck situation, and it was cool to see the community come together,” she said. “Everybody did a great job during the evacuation process, taking care of the employees, pups and their owners. It was impressive.”
No injuries were reported.
Rotter said the fire damaged some of the buildings in a nearby apartment complex.
“There was some melted siding and broken windows,” she said.