A man was rescued by Perry volunteer firefighters Monday afternoon, after his house caught fire due to an unfortunate accident.

The fire broke out just after 3 p.m. at a residence located at 924 12th Street, at the corner of 12th and Otley Avenue. When the Perry Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene, much of the western part of the house was already engulfed in flames. Firefighters battled to control the blaze so they could gain entry into the building, as there was still someone inside. Assistant Perry Fire Chief Brian Eiteman said they located the man on the east side of the residence. The individual was unconscious but breathing and Eiteman and fellow firefighters Israel Baltazar, Joel Eiteman, and Andy Modlin were able to get him to safety. The man was transported to a Des Moines hospital, and is reportedly in serious condition but improving.

Unfortunately, Eiteman said they weren’t able to rescue the family dogs, which was reportedly three or four of them. The fire destroyed the house, as well as a nearby car and camper. The cause of the blaze proved to be a dorm refrigerator that overheated. Eiteman said it appeared that the dogs had knocked a pile of clothes and a pillow off a nearby table to behind the appliance, and it wasn’t noticed until they caught fire. The man who was rescued was the only one home at the time, and wasn’t able to get out because he was wheelchair bound. The last embers of the fire were fully extinguished by around 8:30 p.m. The Perry Police Department, Dallas County Emergency Medical Services, and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene.