(Photo courtesy Gwen Brown)

A man was rescued from a house fire in downtown Fayetteville early Friday evening by city firefighters.

The victim, in his mid-40s, was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but did not suffer life-threatening injuries, said Fayetteville Fire Lt. Bill Rieck.

The cause of the fire is unknown as of Monday morning, but no foul play is suspected, Rieck said.

When firefighters first arrived on the scene at 235 Carriage Chase, a woman was reportedly trapped in the residence. Ultimately that woman, the victim’s mother, exited under her own power, Rieck said.

Fed by wind, the flames were more intense than normally expected, Rieck said.

Fire crews first attacked the fire from inside but had to exit the home after a while because of dangerous conditions, Rieck said. At that point, crews sprayed water from the outside of the home and also from high above using a tower hose.

Later firefighters were able to re-enter the residence to battle the flames, and they discovered a dog alive underneath some debris, Rieck said.

The dog was administered oxygen and was taken to a local animal hospital, he said.

The fire knocked out an electrical transformer across the street, cutting power to several nearby homes. At one of those homes, a resident needed electricity to power medical-related equipment, Rieck said. Crews attached a generator to that home to power the equipment until the power came back on, he added.

Fayette County fire crews assisted the City of Fayetteville in battling the fire, Rieck said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Rieck said.