TAMPA, Fla. -- A Tampa woman is fighting for her life after a neighbor pulled her from a burning home. One person died in the fire. A third person escaped unharmed.
The fire happened at a home on 2211 28th Avenue in Tampa around 3:00 p.m.
Tampa Fire Rescue spokesperson Jason Penny said the woman rushed to Tampa General Hospital was badly burned, but was conscious when transported.
Friends in the neighborhood said the victim was a woman battling cancer and they called her the mother of the community. They said she loved to cook and they were planning a fundraiser to help with her medical bills.
Penny said one other woman escaped from the house, physically okay, but shaken emotionally. He said firefighters saw flames shooting out the back and front of the home. It was 80% engulfed.
People in the neighborhood were devastated.
“They’re concerned, and they should be, something like this a tragic event happens but if there is such thing as a silver lining in something like this, is that it appears that the neighborhood is out to support the folks who were affected by this terrible terrible thing that happened today,” Penny said.
The arson task force and TPD are investigating the fire. No foul play is suspected.
Names have not been released. TPD officers are notifying next of kin.
