Fire razes Freeland home

A Freeland home was destroyed by fire early Saturday evening. The blaze was reported by a neighbor at 7:25 p.m. and firefighters arrived at the Myrtle Avenue home to find it fully engulfed in flames, according to Mike Cotton, deputy chief for South Whidbey Fire/EMS.

A Freeland home was destroyed by fire early Saturday evening.

The blaze was reported by a neighbor at 7:25 p.m. and firefighters arrived at the Myrtle Avenue home to find it fully engulfed in flames, according to Mike Cotton, deputy chief for South Whidbey Fire/EMS.

The single occupant, a renter identified by police as Anna Marshall, escaped unharmed. Her labrador retriever, however, was unaccounted for more than an hour after emergency responders arrived.

“I don’t know the status of the animal,” said Cotton, the command officer at the scene.

The fire is believed to have originated from a vehicle, and the flames spread to the house, Cotton said. The home appeared a total loss as firefighters continued to battle the inferno at 8:30 p.m.

Sgt. Laura Price with the Island County Sheriff’s Office said Marshall was OK and that she had shelter for the night.

“She went to a friend’s house,” the officer said.

The fire could be seen from Payless parking lot and the smoke and glow was visible in the sky from Highway 525 north of Freeland.