Stranded Man Found Alive In Alaska After 3 Weeks, Digs ‘SOS’ In Snow For Help

A stranded man in Alaska was found alive three weeks after his camp in the woods burned down. The man was rescued from Skwentna, Alaska Thursday morning as the authorities performed a welfare check on a helicopter and saw the “SOS” sign in the snow.

The 30-year-old man, identified as Tyson Steele, had built a temporary refuge to help protect from the cold and snow as the roof of his house had caught fire and burned down. Steele was then airlifted to a safer location as the terrain had become rugged for living.

The state police officers stated in a press release that the man had been living in the temporary shelter for about a month. It was also reported that the fire had been caused after Steele burned a large piece of cardboard which led to the fire in the roof of the house. The officers added that Steele had been living alone in the house since September.

The state troopers also added Steele’s statement on the fire, he said, “The fire is just a huge, massive grease fire. Every shovel of snow that I throw on it – I’m hysterical trying to put it out and it’s not doing anything.” Steele also said that he had worked till the next morning to “put out various sections of the fire.”

While Steele was able to recover certain items from the burning house for immediate needs, his dog named Phil got caught in the fire and was unable to make it.

The local media reported that Alaska State Trooper Ken Marsh said, “ He had no snow machine. And his nearest neighbor was 20 miles away, in the tiny community of Skwentna. Steele’s only way in or out of the wilderness was by air charter.”