CLEARLAKE — Family and friends think an 83-year-old retired firefighter went back into his burning home Sunday to save his dog.
Eugene Throop, who suffered from Alzheimer”s disease, died in a house fire that started about 6:20 a.m. Sunday off Old Long Valley Road east of Clearlake Oaks, the Lake County Sheriff”s Office and Northshore fire stated.
His oldest son, Larry Throop, said his mom woke up to some smoke in the house and found the former firefighter”s bedroom on fire. She took him out the front door and went around back to let the animals out. When she returned, he wasn”t there.
“He”s been wandering off and it”s a 10-acre parcel so we searched around for him,” the son said. “But when they put the fire out they found he went back in and was probably overcome with smoke a few feet into the house. We figure he went in looking for his little dog. Duke made it out.”
The son said he”s filled with sadness, disappointment and relief.
“We didn”t want to put him in a home,” the son said. “We knew he would be totally miserable.”
Throop”s Alzheimer”s has been tough on the family, the son said.
Throop worked for CALFIRE, which was CDF then, from 1966 to 1992, the son said. He was a heavy equipment operator and built firelines.
He enjoyed traveling, was an avid rock collector and was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, his son said.
A locksmith opened a fire safe that contained undamaged opals Throop had collected, his son said.
“We were happy to see that,” the son said. “That”s kind of his pride.”
Marjorie Golden, of Santa Rosa, said she was a friend of Throop”s for about 30 years.
“He was a good friend and a very nice man,” Golden said. “We had a great deal of fun as rockhounds.”
Throop told Golden a story years ago about a fire that continued into the night, so he had to keep moving his tractor to avoid getting burned.
“He spent most of the night running away from the fire,” Golden said.
He was an excellent heavy equipment operator and very brave, she said.
Golden said it would be like Throop to go back into the house to search for his dog, half Chihuahua, half Pomeranian.
“He was so devoted to Duke,” she said.
Golden said she would miss her friend.
“I”m sorry he died,” she said. “I”m even sorrier he was so unhappy in his later years because of the Alzheimer”s.”
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
