A dog belonging to a man who died when his home exploded this week on Illinois Street in Rochester has been found safe.

Firefighters and RG&E responded to the home shortly before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday after a neighbor reported smelling gas. Within three minutes, crews witnessed the home explode and debris scatter across the street.

Firefighters found no sign of the dog in the rubble, so neighbors went looking Friday.

Sad scene on Illinois Street in Rochester where a home blew up. One person is dead and a dog is missing. Neighbors left this memorial as they hope the black lab is found alive. @SPECNewsROC pic.twitter.com/P5E8oPGoTo — Wendy Wright (@WendyWrightTV) August 22, 2019

Dakota, the black Labrador, was found in a tall grassy area behind a garage. Neighbors said he was scared, and a little dehydrated, but otherwise okay.

Neighbors and a former roommate of the homeowner who died confirmed it was indeed the missing dog. Rochester Animal Control was called and an officer gave Dakota a clean bill of health.

The explosion rocked the entire North Winton neighborhood.

A body— that has not been identified— was recovered from the basement late Wednesday evening.

The incident remains under investigation.

A friend of the man killed in the explosion says he plans to keep Dakota.

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