Retrospect: Woman escaped DQ fire

An employee at Dairy Queen in Portland was injured 25 years ago this week when a fire broke out at the business.

Janet Hockin, who had arrived in the morning to open the business, was transported to Jay County Hospital after witnesses saw her come out of Dairy Queen and then fall to the ground in the parking lot. Clifford Franks Jr., who lives nearby, saw the woman fall and then went to investigate the smell of smoke.

“I saw her run out of the building, yelling, ‘Help me,’” Franks told The Commercial Review. “I took my coat off and gave it to her.”

Tom Garlinger, owner of Carquest Parts and Paint, said he heard eight to 10 small explosions inside Dairy Queen and then called for an ambulance after seeing smoke coming out of a roof vent.

“She was coughing, she was in pain,” he said of Hockin. “Her blouse was burned.”

Portland firefighters were called at 10:12 a.m. and needed about a half hour to get the fire under control. Fifteen firefighters battled heavy smoke and had to break windows in order to douse the flames.

The cause of the fire was unknown, but Fire Chief Larry Petro estimated it caused $35,000 to $40,000 worth of damage.

Portland Police Chief Jeff Harker said he had heard a report that there had been a break in at the business. His officers were investigating that claim.

Police planned to talk to Hockin about the fire following her release from the hospital.