Man killed, woman injured, and 6 dogs dead after house fire breaks out

WINTER PARK, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - A man and his eight pets are dead after an early morning house fire.

Fox 35 reporter Amanda McKenzie was on scene Tuesday morning. She confirmed with officials that one man has died as a result of his injuries. He was rescued from the house earlier this morning and taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. We do not yet know his identity and his family has yet to be notified, but we do know that he was 50-years-old

There was also a 49-year-old woman living inside the home. She was able to get out and was transported to the hospital as a trauma patient. She is in critical condition.

Unfortunately, there was also six dogs and two birds inside the home that died. 

Three cars were also damaged.

A call came in about the fire shortly before 1 a.m. about the fire at home on Kentucky Avenue in Winter Park. More than half of the home was reportedly engulfed in massive flames. Neighbors grabbed hoses and tried to help put the fire out before the arrival of firefighters. Officials do not believe that it is a suspicious fire.

The next door neighbor, Ike Arriaga, woke to sounds of someone yelling for help.

"Within five minutes it was just a blaze,” Arriaga said. “Caught the truck on fire in the front. There was fire devils coming off the top. There were embers flying all over. Thick black smoke. It was just bad. It was really bad."

While one neighbor called 911, he and others sprang into action pulling hoses over to fight the flames. 

“We tried to do as much as we could,” Arriaga said. “We tried to get the hose to go as far as it could. But there was no helping them out until the fire department came. It was just unfortunate and sad."

Arriaga reflected on the man killed, saying "he was friendly with everybody." He also said that the two of them were "pretty quiet. Loved their dogs."

Investigators said they do not suspect foul play. They said they are focusing their attention on one room that had a lot of electrical equipment. 

This is a joint investigation by Orange County Fire and Orange County Sheriff's Office. The fire marshal is on scene to determine the exact cause of the fire, which will take days.