The story of “Squirtle the turtle”, has risen from the ashes of a house fire in Nowra on Friday morning.

In an incredible story of survival, the pet turtle has lived through estimated temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees in the blaze which destroyed the home in Kameruka Crescent.

The turtle, a pet of one of the two men who escaped the fire, was found alive among the rubble of the destroyed home.

Believed to be named Squirtle, the turtle was found by under a number of tiles in a bedroom after the roof had collapsed, by Fire and Rescue NSW Investigator Bernard Daley.

When Fire and Rescue NSW crews from Shoalhaven, Nowra and Berry arrived at the scene just after 2.30am the home was well alight with flames billowing through the roof into the night sky.

Nearby homes were also threatened.

Nowra brigade captain John Dun estimated at the height of the blaze the temperature would have been more than 1000 degrees.

“The house was fully engulfed when we arrived,” he said.

“It is a pretty amazing survival story. When you first consider the heat it must have encountered and then the roof tiles falling in on it.

“You could easily estimate a couple of tonnes of rubble in a couple of square metres.”

Although a little charred and covered in ash when recovered, Squirtle seemed to be in good health, sticking his head out from inside the safety of what must be an almost bomb proof shell.

Once recovered he happily lounged in a bucket of water before being taken for a check up to local wildlife rescue volunteers.

Surely a story of survival that would make any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlep proud!

If he was a human you would recommend buying a lottery ticket.