Man and dog die in house fire in northern Minnesota

MILTONA, Minn. (FOX 9) - An elderly man and his dog died after succumbing to a house fire near Miltona Sunday evening.

On Jan. 1. 2023, at about 9:32 p.m. the Douglas County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from Charles DeMartelaere about a house fire on County Road 102 NE near Miltona. 

According to police, Douglas County deputies and the Miltona Fire Department responded and found a house fully engulfed. 

DeMartelaere was reportedly in an outbuilding on the property when he noticed the fire and tried to get inside to help his elderly father, but he was unable to do so because of "the smoke, heat, and flames," police say. 

Parkers Prairie Ambulance transported Charles DeMartelaere to Alomere Hospital for smoke inhalation, and he was later released.

Gene DeMartelaere's body and a dog were located on the main floor of the house. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by multiple agencies, but does not appear to be suspicious, according to police.