Man rescued in Alaska weeks after cabin burns down after SOS sign spotted in snow
A man whose remote cabin burned down in the Alaskan wilderness has been rescued after authorities spotted his SOS signal in the snow.
Tyson Steele survived 23 days in subzero temperatures living in a makeshift shelter and rationing cans of beans and jars of peanut butter he salvaged from the fire.
The 30-year-old was picked up by Alaska State Troopers on Thursday at his remote home 20 miles outside of Skwentna - a village with a population of just 35.
A fire in mid-December burned Mr Steele's remote cabin to the ground leaving him with no means of communication. His dog, six-year-old Labrador Phil, was killed in the blaze.
The Utah-native told troopers a large piece of cardboard in his wood stove had led to the fire.
“It started with a pretty hasty mistake," he said.
"My wood stove is very, very old. The mistake I made – sorry, my thoughts are still a little scattered – the mistake I made, I got hasty and I put a big piece of cardboard in the stove to start the fire."
He added: "I grabbed everything that was on my bed. You know, blankets on my bed. I just grabbed some coats, some sleeping bags – whatever – just a bag of something and whatever and wrapped it up in the blanket and I rush outside".
Only after leaving the cabin did Mr Steele notice his dog was still inside.
Mr Steele slept in a snow cave for two nights before creating a tent-like shelter out of tarpaulin and some off cuts.
Family members and friends requested a welfare check be carried out after not hearing from him for several weeks.
The trooper helicopter crew reached the home at around 11am on Thursday - 23 days after the cabin burned down.
Alaskan State Trooper Ken Marsh said the survival was "stunning".