Two people injured in house fire

Two people were injured and hospitalized, including one badly burned, in a house fire Sunday in Tampa, according to Bay News 9.

Officials with the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue told Bay News 9 that homeowner Edwin Peterson was out shopping at the time of the fire. But his girlfriend and two girls, ages 11 and 12, were home at the time, according to officials. The homeowner’s girlfriend suffered burns to 80 percent of her body, officials told Bay News 9.

“I ran over there and the only thing in my mind was if those were my kids,” neighbor Austin Peterson told Bay News 9. “I was hitting it with a sledge hammer to try and break off the bars from the concrete. It wouldn’t come off that easy. We had to pry the door open it was so hot.”

The home, which is located in the 1700 block of Carnegie Circle, is a total loss, officials told Bay News 9. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

This story was originally published October 22, 2017 at 4:28 PM with the headline "Two people injured in house fire."