`Hero' dog perishes in fire, but all tenants get out safely.

Byline: Brian Lee; Linda Bock 

SOUTHBRIDGE - A dog named Chaos is being called a hero after a fire destroyed a multifamily building on North Street yesterday morning, displacing three families, totaling 11 people.

Chaos' frantic barking awoke first-floor resident Doreen Gosselin and her 18-year-old son, Chris Lamica, about 3:30 a.m., relatives and neighbors said.

Chaos, however, did not make it out of the fire; the dog and two cats on the second floor perished.

No tenants or firefighters were injured in the fire.

A police officer reported the fire at 24 North St. and helped evacuate families on the other two floors.

The state fire marshal's office is seeking the fire's cause.

A young man who lives in town and regularly walks the dog was seen yesterday morning being consoled by Dustin A. Bashaw, who lives next door and is Ms. Gosselin's nephew.

The three-family house is next to the Italian Club, 20 North St. Mr. Bashaw lives next door with his girlfriend, Tiffany L. Utakis, who said, "It's a very rude awakening - somebody banging on my door and my kids screaming. I looked out the window and saw flames (from the neighbors' building)."

"The dog is a hero," said Mr. Bashaw. He said his cousin, Chris, checked his mother's room because of the dog's barking.

There were two teenagers living on the third floor and three children on the second, Ms. Utakis said.

Fire Chief Richard J. Ciesla Jr. said the building had filled with flames by the time the first firefighters arrived. Fire filled all three floors.

Firefighters entered the building, but soon realized the conditions were too dangerous, Chief Ciesla said. Working outside the building, firefighters needed about 90 minutes to douse the fire. They were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the Italian Club.

The house, built in 1900, is owned by Craig J. and Rosanna Sampson, in care of RAC Group LLC of Charlton, according to town records.

Firefighters from Sturbridge covered, and firefighters from Dudley, Oxford, Webster and Charlton were at the scene. .

Judy Bertrand said she's known Ms. Gosselin, "a good person," for many years and offered to help. "I don't know what I can do," said Ms. Bertrand, who lives down the street. "When you lose everything, how do you start over?"

The dog died of smoke inhalation. Ms. Utakis said she and others were going to chip in so that Ms. Gosselin's dog could be cremated.

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) Flames from an early morning fire at a multifamily building at 24 North St. light up the sky. (2) Firefighters stand outside the charred remains of the fire on North Street.

PHOTOG: (1) ALAN J. BRACKETT (2) T&G Staff/LEN LAZURE