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69 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 29, 2004 Billie Waters reacts to the sight of her house going up in flames Monday afternoon on Highway 238 north of Ruch. A mother and son driving by spotted the fire and the son was able to rescue the Waters� dog before the house was engulfed. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Teenager saves dog in Ruch house fire An alert motorist’s son makes the rescue before the house is destroyed By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune RUCH — As Lisa Smith drove down Highway 238 on Monday afternoon, a plume of white smoke billowing from a house’s chimney caught her eye — strange, she thought, for a 90-degree summer day. Smith turned her car around and stopped in the driveway, where her 14-year-old son, Matthew Matlock, noticed dark smoke spewing through the eaves of Matthew and Billie Waters’ house. Matlock dashed to the door and yelled for anyone inside, then inspected the door for signs of fire like he saw in a movie. The teen then kicked the door down, rescued the Waters’ golden retriever and tried to douse the fire with a garden hose while his mom used her cell phone to call for help. "It was real smoky," Matlock said. "The dog was stumbling around so I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him out. But the fire got real big, real fast." Advertisement That’s the most Matlock’s heroics could muster. Flames quickly overpowered Matlock’s hose and destroyed the house at 3195 Highway 238, north of Ruch. No one was home when the fire was discovered at about 2 p.m., and no one was hurt. Firefighters were able to contain the flames to the house, sparing several small outbuildings and a herd of llamas penned nearby. "It was really burning by the time we got there," Applegate Fire District Chief Brett Fillis said. Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters also were called in to ensure that flames didn’t touch off a grass or forest fire. No cause of the fire was determined Monday, but inspectors were focusing their early investigation on the living room area, Fillis said. Chris Wolfard, the fire district’s operations chief, said the house and contents were a total loss, estimated to be worth at least $150,000. Matlock, a sophomore-to-be at Hidden Valley High School, was headed with his mother from their old home in the Little Applegate Valley to their new one in Murphy when they happened upon the fire. Initially, the teenager ran to the front door yelling for anyone inside. Checking for signs of how hot the fire was inside, Matlock carefully checked the door for little wisps of smoke leaking out and sucking back in. "My uncle is a firefighter, and I’ve seen movies like‘Backdraft,’ " he said. Seeing none, he kicked through and immediately rescued Roger, the Waters’ retriever. He searched for anyone inside, then pulled the garden hose inside as flames raced past him. Matlock noticed a suitcase under a bed and considered grabbing it, he said. "I thought, well, maybe they don’t have to lose everything," Matlock said. "But the drapes went up really fast, so I had to get out. I didn’t want to get myself into too much trouble." Smith said she was scared for her son’s safety. "Once the flames got high enough to hit the trees, I thought it was time to get him out of there," Smith said. "He seems to have no fears." Matlock continued to train the hose on the house’s exterior as firefighters arrived. As the commotion settled, members of the Waters family chatted with Matlock and thanked him for saving Roger. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities