As many as 70 dogs died when in a fire at an Ohio kennel described as a "puppy mill."

The Johnsville Fire Department responded to a fire in Morrow County, about 50 miles north of Columbus at around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Firefighters say part of the kennel had already partially collapsed by the time they arrived.

Johnsville Fire Chief Harlen Barrick told WSYX it took about 40 minutes to get the fire under control.

A firefighter rescued one puppy found hiding in a corner of the building.

The owner reportedly was able to open some of the external kennels to free 17 other dogs.

The fire department said the fire started at a wood-burning stove in the middle of the building.

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

The property owner would not talk to reporters and ordered them off of the property.

The fate of the dogs that survived the fire was not known.

A Medina woman had previously started a campaign to protect dogs that are kept in large-volume dog breeding facilities in Ohio.

Nancy Davis told WJW-TV that Ohio is near the top of the Humane Society of the United States "Horrible Hundred" report, which calls attention to problem breeders.