SACRAMENTO, Calif. » Authorities are crediting a chocolate Labrador with saving the life of a Sacramento man after it alerted him to a fire inside a home that appeared not to have a smoke detector.

Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Roberto Padilla says the man told firefighters he was sleeping when his dog Buddy nudged him and woke him up Thursday night. The man saw a fire burning in a bedroom in the rear of the house.

The Sacramento Bee reports the man suffered some smoke inhalation and had soot on his face.

Padilla says the man did not recall hearing a smoke alarm, and firefighters had found no evidence of a working smoke detector in the house.

He says the home had significant damage.