UPDATED: Two Dogs Killed in San Anselmo Residential Fire

Editor's note: This article, which was originally published at 8:56 a.m., was updated at 10:37 a.m. with more information from a witness. 

By Jessica Mullins

Two small family dogs perished in an early-morning fire Friday at 1225 San Anselmo Ave. in San Anselmo. 

The blaze, which was reported at 4:37 a.m., caused an estimated $250,000 in damage to the 1,200-square-foot single-family dwelling. 

When the fire crews arrived at the scene, there was a heavy fire at the left side of the structure and the residents had already evacuated. The fire was under control at 4:59 a.m., according to Ross Valley Fire Department Public Information Officer JoAnne Lewis.

During and after the incident, San Anselmo Avenue was closed between Redwood Road and Scenic Road.

The Red Cross helped with the displaced residents.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Lewis.

Firefighters from the Ross Valley Fire Department, San Rafael Fire Department, Marin County Fire Department and Kentfield Fire Department all responded to the scene.

Diane Levin, who lives at 1 Yolanda Drive on the opposite side of Center Blvd. from the fire, said her service dog, a Golden doodle named Tessa, and her cat, Nellie, alerted her to the blaze.

Tessa, who isn’t usually a barker, kept barking despite Levin’s commands to stop barking. The 2-year-old pup eventually jumped on top of Levin, who was in bed.

“She was like ‘There’s something you need to attend to’,” Levin said.

Next, Nellie ran into the room “all fluffed up.” 

Levin said as soon as she opened her eyes she started to hear popping noises and first thought it was firecrackers going off at the nearby Drake High School. Then, the noises started to sound more like gunfire and explosions, she said.

“There were no sirens yet. It was about 4:03 a.m.,” she said. 

She walked to the front of her house and could see flames across Center Blvd.

“There was a wall of fire,” she said. “I was just in shock at how high this wall of fire was. It wasn’t moving toward me, it wasn’t crackling like a bon fire. It seemed to me like a torch, like there was gas or propane or something of force. This thing was shooting straight into the air.”

She said she tried calling multiple neighbors to alert them and no one answered. She walked down to the scene after authorities had arrived. 

Levin, who has lived in that neighborhood for 33 years, said it was a “strange” experience because almost no one was on the street except for the firefighters and police officials. “I didn’t see a single car,” she said.

Did you hear the sirens or see the blaze? Send any photos or videos of the fire to Jessica.mullins@patch.com.