Firefighters rescued a man who was searching his blazing home for his pets.
Six firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the burning house in Downham Avenue, Beaumont Leys, Leicester, on Sunday night, after neighbours told them they believed the man was still inside.
Witnesses said flames came through downstairs windows as the firefighters entered the semi-detached home.
The man was found near the back door, in smoke that made it almost impossible to see.
He had been searching for his three dogs, which were also rescued.
Firefighter John Ong, station manager at Lancaster Road, said: "By the time I got there the fire was fully involved and flames had taken hold of the ground floor.
"The neighbours weren't sure if anyone was inside, so we sent in six guys to scan the house.
"He managed to get near the back door and firefighters found him coughing through the smoke and brought him through an alley at the side of the house. He'd been inside looking for his dogs."
The man was suffering from burns and the effects of smoke inhalation and was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he spent the night.
Yesterday, he was moved to Nottingham City Hospital.
The animals were unhurt and were taken in by neighbours. Police cordoned off the street as 30 firefighters from the city's three stations took about 40 minutes to tackle the flames.
Mr Ong said: "We got control very quickly but there was still smoke billowing around the street and a lot of smouldering material inside.
"It was very close to breaking through the floor and spreading to the roof as well."
Many neighbours watched the drama unfold from their homes.
Dinesh Suthar, 52, said: "It was very big, the flames were blowing out into the street – it looked like fireballs.
"There were fire engines everywhere and the whole street was covered in smoke."
Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "When I looked out of the window it looked huge.
"The flames were really coming out and it looked like the whole place would burn to the ground.
"We weren't sure if anyone was inside – it didn't look like anyone could last long in there."
The cause of the fire is under investigation but is not believed to be suspicious.
