A jogger was the first to notice the flames on John Moore Road in Brandon. She started screaming for help. Two drivers stopped and ran over to the shotgun house. They grabbed some cinderblocks and started chucking them at the windows. That's when they noticed movement inside.
Robin Pack was driving to church unaware In mere moments, he would find himself face-to-face with a fire. His heart was pumping loudly as he saw a man inside with the flames.
"It was a really hard thing to see," said Pack holding back tears.
Gun ammo started exploding across the yard of the home. As soon as it stopped both Pack, and another driver, started throwing cinderblocks at the windows.
"The real heroes are the cops because when they got here I told them don't go in there it's too bad," said Rich Ayers, "And they went in there with no gear or anything."
Ayers intimately knows the danger of fire.
"I was terrified, my father went through an 80% burn accident a few years ago, I know what that looks like," he said.
But soon two Hillsborough County deputies kicked open the back door. On the floor was the homeowner.
Paramedics put him in an ambulance where finally the man spoke.
"He started yelling 'leave me alone, don't touch me' because he was really burned bad," said Pack.
Right now, there's no word on his name or condition. Instead, the prayers of two who fought so hard to save him.
"You are in my prayers and I hope you are ok," said Ayers.
Likewise Pack wishing the best for the man's family.
"God bless them and I hope God answers their prayers because this man is going to need all the prayers he can get," he said.
A fire marshal is investigating the official cause of the fire.
This is a developing story. The story will be updated as new information comes into the newsroom. Refresh your browser for updates.
