ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Flynn family said there is nothing left of their home. The laundry they did Tuesday night melted. The tile burnt off the floor. Their furniture reduced to unrecognizable rubble.
Bill Flynn said one of his 11 dogs woke him up around 4 a.m. Wednesday, alerting him that their Sabre Street home was filling with smoke.
Bill said he grabbed a small fire extinguisher and tried to knock down the growing flames. That lasted about 10 seconds, he said, long enough for his three children and eight of his dogs to escape.
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His hair and hands were singed by what he described as a "tunnel of flames" as he tried to save the dogs.
"I was literally crawling through the fire," he said.
The dog that woke him up, the one he credits with saving his family's lives, died in the fire. Two month-old puppies were also killed. Thankfully, he said, his beloved service dog made it out.
"There is nothing left," Bill said.
"It's a burnt shell," his wife Tabitha added.
Firefighters said it's too soon to determine what caused the fire. The Red Cross is on scene assisting the family.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for updates.
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