Man dies trying to save his dogs in early morning house fire, authorities say

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - Authorities in Ohio say a Cleveland man died on Tuesday after trying to save his dogs from an early morning house fire.

According to the Cleveland Fire Department, the fire started at a home in the area of W. 59th Street and Denison Avenue, in the Stockyards neighborhood, around midnight.

The man’s mother, 68, managed to escape and called 911. But when firefighters arrived, the woman told first responders her son was still inside trying to get his animals out of the home.

Firefighters were able to pull the 44-year-old man from the fire. However, he died from his injuries at the hospital. His name has not been immediately released.

The man’s mom was also transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Cleveland Fire Lt. Mike Norman said this was a challenging fire to fight due to the high winds.

Norman added that there were no working smoke detectors inside the home.

The American Red Cross can be contacted for those in the area at 216-361-5535 who need a smoke detector at no charge.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no immediate word was given on whether the animals were able to escape the flames.