A woman nearly died in a fire Saturday afternoon while trying to save her small dog from the flames.

Firefighters say a woman awoke to a fire in her home at the Hamann mobile home park in St. Joseph County.

She told witnesses she left some candles burning causing the fire to start.

A neighbor unloading groceries heard the noises coming from next-door and had to pull the woman out twice, because she kept trying to run inside and save her small dog.

The woman was taken to the hospital with minor burns.

Firefighters say the home is a complete loss and the dog also died.