Investigators are probing the cause of a fire that killed Patrick Leon Lewis, 63, inside his home at 218 E. Lopez Ave. early Friday.
Port Angeles police identified Lewis on Saturday afternoon.
Friends of his at the Front Street Alibi restaurant, however, said earlier they were sure he was the man they knew as Leo Lewis, who raised German shepherds. Twelve dogs died in the fire; one was rescued.
People who knew Lewis posted a message of mourning on the Alibi readerboard at 1605 E. Front St.
“It broke a lot of our hearts,” said Allie Johnson, an Alibi bartender who said Lewis was “not really a drinker” but “just came in, hung out” at the restaurant.
He was a favorite customer of its late-night employees, she said.
Valerie Bettger, another friend, said Lewis' top interests were raising his dogs, restoring his two vintage vehicles and building and flying his model airplanes.
He sold the dogs that he raised, she said, but she declined to call it his business.
One dog was rescued and taken to Olympic Veterinary Clinic in Port Angeles.
Its condition could not be immediately determined Saturday.
Smith said it could be claimed by relatives or turned over to the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society.
Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said the cause of death will be determined in an autopsy.
The cause of the fire may not be determined until sometime this week, he said, adding that both fire and police officials are investigating it.
In a joint statement, Smith and Fire Chief Ken Dubuc said firefighters arriving at 5:28 a.m. found flames on multiple levels of the house, which was single-story but with a crawl space under the roof and an unfinished basement.
Smith said flames on different levels could indicate the fire had spread from one area to another.