BETHEL -- Bethel firefighters have rescued a man and his 2-month-old chocolate Labrador retriever after a fire broke out in a Bethel home.
KYUK reports the man suffered smoke inhalation and was flown to Anchorage for treatment.
The puppy is in the hands of a local animal rescue group called the Bethel Friends of Canines. The group is looking for foster care for the puppy while the owner is hospitalized.
Bethel fire chief Bill Howell says the blaze was reported just before 5 a.m. Monday by a passer-by who noticed it.
Howell says the man rescued was initially treated by emergency responders at the scene.
Officials say damage to the two-story home was limited to the first floor.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.