A Fort Dodge woman is recovering after her face, shoulder, and hands were allegedly set on fire with a blow torch held by another woman she was arguing with Wednesday night, according to a relative of the victim.

Shelly Harrison, of Fort Dodge, and the woman who allegedly assaulted her lived in the same house, 135 Fifth Ave. N., according to Harrison’s daughter, Hallie Ebner, of Fort Dodge.

According to Ebner, the argument started over a couple of dogs living in the home.

“My mom’s dog and the other lady’s dog are both pit bulls and she wanted the other lady to put her dog into her room because the two pit bulls were starting to fight,” Ebner said.

So Harrison knocked on the other woman’s bedroom door, Ebner said.

That’s when the other woman, who has not been identified, allegedly opened the door and threw an unknown liquid onto Harrison, she said.

“The other lady came out of the door and threw a liquid — an alcohol,” Ebner said. “They don’t know if it was rubbing alcohol or vodka because they (police) are still testing it. But it was a flammable liquid.”

Ebner said the other woman then used a blow torch to ignite Harrison.

“It was a little handheld blow torch,” Ebner said. “She threw the alcohol, it caught on fire.”

Fort Dodge police Capt. Ryan Gruenberg said he couldn’t confirm if a blow torch was used in the alleged assault.

“We are certain that there was some sort of ignition source used to ignite the mixture,” Gruenberg said. “However, as we continue to investigate, I cannot share any specifics at this time as far as any details that we feel may have evidentiary value as we progress.”

He added, “We understand information will be shared by those close to those involved with any case, some of which may or may not be accurate, but we are preferring to withhold any details regarding potential evidence to protect the integrity of the case. Our perspective is even the smallest detail may break a case, so it is our obligation to the victims we serve to protect the integrity of their case as best we can to offer them the best potential outcome we can.”

Ebner said Harrison’s boyfriend and another man who live in the home tried to put the fire out.

Eventually, one of them used water from a nearby bathroom to extinguish the flames, she said.

Police were called to the home at about 9:10 p.m.

A few minutes after officers arrived, paramedics with the Fort Dodge Fire Department were called to treat Harrison.

Ebner said she happened to be driving along Fifth Avenue North when paramedics were loading her mother into an ambulance.

“I just happened to look over and I saw a whole bunch of fire trucks,” Ebner said. “And they were putting my mom into the ambulance right after it happened.”

Harrison was airlifted to the burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Doctors there treated Harrison with an antibiotic cream and amoxicillin, according to Ebner.

She said the burns on her mother’s hands are the most severe.

“Her hands got it the worst,” Ebner said.

Ebner and Harrison left the hospital and returned to Fort Dodge on Friday.

“She’s stable,” Ebner said.

Harrison plans to stay with a relative for the time being, she said.

Harrison has known the woman who allegedly assaulted her for about 20 years, according to Ebner.

“They are on again, off again,” Ebner said. “They are OK sometimes.”

Ebner said her mother plans to press charges.

As of Friday evening, no charges had been filed in the case.

The Fort Dodge Police Department continues to investigate.