Craig McEwan's late, late penalty snatched a scarcely-merited point for the struggling Sons and deprived basement-boys Berwick a vital win in their own battle against the drop.
Neither side threatened to score during the opening quarter, but it was the visitors who eventually broke the deadlock when David Murie's long free-kick was touched over the line by the head of Gordon Connelly.
Thereafter it was the Borderers who always looked most likely to score again, although Connelly was one of several visiting players who passed up decent opportunities to extend the lead.
All the drama was to unfold in a much elongated last 10 minutes.
Firstly, a fire alarm went off in the stand – the second time in four games this has happened at the stadium – and all the spectators were evacuated on to the pitch.
Whatever Paul Martin said to his players during this stoppage certainly worked as Dumbarton re-started like a different team. Three minutes from time Ian Russell's header following a corner was stopped on the line by a Berwick hand,. and although Barry Donald knocked the ball over the line referee Hunter disallowed the 'goal' and awarded a penalty for the earlier offence.
The home players were incensed and on the say-so of his assistant, Hunter red-carded Darren Smith, although the offender had appeared to be David Murie.
McEwan, however, kept his cool in the raging atmosphere and sent Gary O'Connor the wrong way from the spot-kick.