MIDDLETOWN, Ind. -- A man says his "best friend" Nova saved his life when his home caught fire while he was asleep earlier this week.

Jesse Jackson works overnight and sleeps during the day, 6News Cheryl Jackson reported.

He and Nova went to bed at about 8 a.m. Wednesday. About 45 minutes later, the dog began squealing, barking and hitting Jackson with her paws.

"She kept whining. She's a real good dog. I told her to be quiet once. She kept on, so I woke up," Jackson said. "As I peered through, there were flames coming across the ceiling."

At first, Jackson said he thought he was having a dark, smoky nightmare.

"I was scared to death when I realized it was real and the heat was coming at me," Jackson said.

When Jackson opened the door from his bedroom to the kitchen, he said the room was pitch black, except for rolling flames.

"From here up, you couldn't see anything, but I crawled through," Jackson said.

Jackson said he grabbed Nova and headed for the garage door, a path through the fire, but a way out.

"I noticed the flames were high and were starting to roll, so I figured if we could get to the door low, we could get out that way," Jackson said. "There was so much pressure pushing out. I braced myself and I fell back twice and then I got it opened up."

As Nova and Jackson survey the damage to their home, Jackson considers himself lucky.

"That dog did save my life. She's been a great dog," Jackson said.

The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, but investigators think the furnace or a faulty outlet could be to blame.