TAMPA, Fla. — A deadly house fire in Tampa has been ruled arson and investigators think the man who died is also the person responsible.
- Man, 2 dogs died in Wednesday fire
- Damage estimated at $70,000
- More Hillsborough County stories
Tampa Fire Rescue responded to a house fire at 1011 East 23rd Avenue on Wednesday.
Sabrina Reddick said she was a tenant at the house and lived with a couple who had been fighting.
Reddick said the man threatened to burn the house down, so she and his girlfriend hid in her bedroom.
"About 30 minutes later I started smelling gas, so I thought maybe he was just doing it for attention," she explained. "Next thing I know, I heard something go 'boom' and I thought he was busting out my window, so I jump up and see all this smoke coming into my room."
Reddick said she then broke open a window and climbed out and pulled the other woman out, too.
"I literally had to pull her out of the window by her arms and if I was at work, she wouldn't have made it out of the house, "she said.
The woman was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Fire investigators said it looked like the man poured gas around the house then ignited it.
He was located unconscious in a hallway and taken to the hospital, but he didn't survive.
"It's always terrible regardless of who it is," said Assistant Fire Chief Mark Bogush.
Two dogs also died in the fire.
Firefighters used pet oxygen masks to treat several other dogs at the house.
Reddick said she's lost all of her belongings but she still feels lucky.
"Now that I look back at it and thinking that I was trapped in this almost, I feel very blessed and I feel like three's a reason God still has me and her here," she said.
The damage estimate is $70,000.
The American Red Cross is working to assist the two women.