From the MCRFB news archives:
Brenda Lee Hurt Slightly as Fire Destroys Her House
NASHVILLE — A raging fire recently gutted the luxurious home of popular songstress Brenda Lee, Monday, December 31, 1962, which resulted in slight injuries to Brenda when she tried in vain to save her famous poodle, Cee Cee, from the soaring flames and smoke.
The fire, which was attributed to a faulty electrical wiring with a household appliance, swept the nine-room home, valued at $37,000, leaving all but a single bedroom in total ruin.
Dub Albritton, Brenda’s manager, said the star’s $25,000 wardrobe of stage clothes and costumes was completely destroyed. They were not insured, though the house and property was.
Brenda was at home with her mother and several other relatives when the fire started. All except Brenda were asleep when the country/pop star, who was watching a late-night television program, noticed smoke in the house.
All were awakened and stood outside in frigid 20-degree temperatures when the eighteen-year old singer, barefooted and wearing only a house robe, went back into the burning house to retrieve her poodle, Cee Cee.
The dog, one of four, was unaccounted for and missing immediately after the blaze broke out. But she was too late. The little poodle, who had traveled the globe with Brenda, was found expired having succumbed to heavy smoke inhalation. The singer’s hair was singed and one of her eyes sustained injury, Albritton said. He said the eye injury was not considered serious.
In addition to her missing poodle, more than 80 stuff animals collected by Miss Lee were lost in the fire.
In the house when the fire began were Miss Lee’s mother, Mrs. Grace Rainwater; her brother, Randy; her sister, Mrs. Ralph McFalls and her husband, and her niece, Lisa McFalls. No one, outside of Brenda, were injured.
“I don’t know how it started,” Mrs. Rainwater said in a recent Nashville newspaper article. “Suddenly there was just smoke all over the place. We just got out and let it go.” END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 12, 1963).
