Maine native injured in Calif. fire dies

SAN FRANCISCO – A Maine-born artist who once rescued a drowning woman died from injuries he suffered four months ago while saving a friend’s dog from a burning house.

Michael James Keenan, 44, died Monday of complications from burns at St. Francis Memorial Hospital. He suffered burns over 80 percent of his body in February when he rescued a Jack Russell terrier from a Russian Hill home.

“He was the kind of guy who would walk into any pub and walk out with 15 friends,” said Owen Kelly, a childhood friend.

For several weeks after he was injured, friends and family were optimistic Keenan would recover. Doctors initially said his chances of survival were 50-50.

Friends of Keenan, who grew up in Yarmouth, Maine, established a fund to help pay for his hospital expenses.