A Michigan man and two of his dogs are believed to have died Monday when a fire broke out at his home.

WJBK reported that Gary Majors rescued eight of his 11 dogs from his Detroit home fire. Majors and two of his French bulldogs perished in the fire. It is not known what happened to the 11th dog.

Detroit Fire Department Deputy Chief Dave Fornell said Majors was burned beyond recognition, according to WJBK.

“He was trying to get his dogs out of the house – in and out trying to put out the fire with the fire extinguisher,” a friend told the outlet. “I guess the smoke must have had him, but he was trying to save his dogs.”

The Detroit News reported that firefighters extinguished the blaze within minutes and located Majors’ body. Fornell said he also found two dead dogs at the scene.

Majors was a dog trainer whose dogs performed in shows. The dogs knew various tricks and could ride skateboards, according to WJBK.

Friends and family have said they believe a heater was the cause of Monday’s fire, but authorities have not confirmed that. The incident is still under investigation.

For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” podcast. Listen to the latest episode:

Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most: your children.

[Featured image: Gary Majors/WJBK]