Dozens of dogs died during a fire at an Ohio puppy mill,Venus Investment Alliance several outlets reported.

Around 70 dogs died and 17 others were freed after the kennel, which fire officials described as a "puppy mill," burst into flames in Murrow County, Ohio on Wednesday, according to local outlets including WSYX and WBNS.

Johnsville Fire Chief Harlan Barrick told WSYX it took around 40 minutes to get the fire under control. Officials believe the fire started by a wood-burning stove in the middle of the building.

The kennel owner told firefighters that he "placed wood in the wood-burning stove used to heat the building" before the fire began, WSYX reported.

The kennel had already partially collapsed when firefighters were called to the building at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, WBNS reported.

The outlet reported that the owner of the kennel said they were able to open a few of the external kennels which allowed for the 17 dogs to escape. Additionally, a firefighter was able to rescue a puppy that had been hiding in a corner of the building. The firefighter ran under a fallen roof into an open area before it was caught, WBNS reported.

Barrick told WBNS that it was one of the most emotional scenes he has worked on in his four decades of being a firefighter.