Altoona firefighters late Friday evening rescued a man from a Fairview house that was on fire in the back, according to city Fire Chief Adam Free.

They found the man in the bathroom and got him awake, and he was able to walk out, after which he was taken to the hospital — alert and with a good outcome expected, Free said.

If someone driving down the alley behind the house hadn’t noticed the fire and called it in, and if firefighters hadn’t arrived quickly — within a minute of the alarm — the fire might have moved from the back wall into the house and “the outcome might not have been the same” for the 20-something man, Free said.

Firefighters also rescued a dog, possibly a goldendoodle, Free said.

The dog will be OK, Free said.

The fire on the 1600 block of 22nd Avenue appears to have been accidental, although that isn’t a final ruling, Free said.

It began on the rear deck and climbed the vinyl siding to the roof line, Free said.

While there was no fire inside the house, there was extensive smoke damage there, Free said.

He estimated the total loss at about $25,000.

Firefighters got the blaze under control within 10 minutes.

All 11 firefighters on duty at the time were on scene, according to Free.

A neighbor who saw the man’s truck parked outside alerted firefighters to the possibility that the man was inside, Free said.

It didn’t take long for firefighters to find him, according to Free.

Finding potential victims when there is a lot of smoke isn’t easy, however, he said.

Firefighters work by feel, room by room, systematically, and they also can use thermal imaging cameras, he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.