A Plant City family of ten was left homeless Friday after a fire destroyed their house.
- Resident said fire started as family was making dinner
- Family was using a deep fryer
- No one was injured in the fire
Resident Lorenzo Zabala said the fire started while the family was trying to make dinner using a deep fryer on the front porch.
“We turned on the grease of the deep fryer and we left it alone and the next thing you know it just went up in flames,” Zabala said.
Zabala's 12-year-old son, Lorenzo Jr., was in the front of the home when the fire started. He said he had to act quickly to help get his grandmother out safely.
“I had to go call my grandma," said Lorenzo Jr. "And my grandma was sleeping and by the time I went in there it was smoke. A lot of black smoke in there. Good thing I took her outside.”
Lorenzo Jr. said he’s OK with being called a hero.
The three adults and seven children all lived in the 1,800 square-foot-home on Joe Macintosh Road. Parts of the house were still under construction. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials said firefighters were able to get the fire under control in about an hour.
Now, the Zabalas are left with only the clothes on their backs. The family is getting help from the Red Cross.
Despite of all of that, however, Lorenzo Jr. is optimistic, and he has a message for the rest of the family.
“Not to worry about it because everybody’s safe,” he said.