Jan. 28--The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is rallying around one of their deputies after his wife was killed in an early morning house fire Friday.
"We're going to do whatever we have to do to give him the time off he needs," said Franklin County Sheriff Anthony Boen. "We're a small department, but everyone's pulling together to make it work. Whatever we can do for him."
After finishing his shift at about 2 a.m. Friday, Deputy Dave Dodge noticed smoke and flames coming from his home on Hatties Lane near Ozark, Boen said. Dodge entered the home through the back door to found his home filled with smoke and his wife, Christy Dodge, 46, unconscious on the floor, Boen said. Still in his uniform with his radio attached, Dodge then radioed for help.
The Altus Rural Fire Department arrived to fight the fire and Franklin County Emergency Medical Services arrived to assist with Christy Dodge, Boen said. She was transported to Mercy Hospital Turner Memorial in Ozark where she was pronounced dead, Boen said.
"It's a very close department and even community; we've been through a lot, the whole county," Boen said. "But everyone pulls together and takes care of each other. ... It keeps us all going."
Boen said he is close friends with the Dodge family.
"She was just a real outgoing person, always smiling," Boen said. "She always was involved with any of the kids in the family if they had ball games or anything; she was just very involved and very well-liked."
The fire was contained to one room, but the entire home sustained smoke and water damage, Boen said. Arkansas State Police were called to help investigate the cause of the fire, but an official cause has not been determined at this time, Boen said.
The Sheriff's Office has set up a memorial fund for the Dodge family at Simmons Bank in Ozark.
Copyright 2012 - Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark.
