Dog lost in fire

A 75-year-old man is recovering from smoke inhalation following a fire at a Vernon motel on Halloween night.

His dog was not so fortunate.

Fire crews were called to the Tell-A-Friend Motel on Highway 97 about 8 p.m. Wednesday.

It would appear an elderly man fainted, then fell on a furnace, which caused a gas leak.

Fire officials say the tried to put the subsequent fire out himself with baking soda once he came to. He had to be rescued by a man in a neighbouring room.

The man is in Vernon Jubilee Hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.

His 15-year-old dog did not survive.

No one else was injured.