Mother, 6 children escape burning Phoenix home - New York News | NYC Breaking News

Mother, 6 children escape burning Phoenix home

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PHOENIX -

A valley mother and her six children, two of them in wheelchairs, escaped their burning home Friday night.

She says they only had minutes to get out of the house.

The fire started around 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Friday night and destroyed their home.

The Red Cross is helping the family until they can find a permanent place to stay.   

Late Friday night, a fire ripped through Talisa Ortiz' home near Indian School Road and 59th Avenue.

"Before the fire started, we heard a boom," said Talisa Ortiz.

The single mother of six, says she was in the kitchen when one of her sons alerted her to the flames.

"He tells me, 'Mom it smells like fire' and I'm like, 'No it's not a fire' and he said 'Yes look under the door, it's orange'," said Ortiz. "My other son comes, he gets a bucket and he throws the water and the fire expands."

Ortiz says she got her six children, including 2 who are in wheelchairs, out of the home.

She said they had just minutes to escape.

"From here I'm gonna have to live in a hotel and my family members..their houses are too small to put us in where they're at," said Ortiz.

The Red Cross is stepping in to help.

"The fire was pretty significant and looks like we'll be helping them with their lodging, food, possibly their medicines," said Todd Tamcsin, spokesman for the Red Cross.

Tamcsin says Ortiz and her children, ages 10 through 17-years-old will likely be living in a hotel until the they can help them find a more permanent place to stay.

"I have two disabled children and I just don't know what to do from here," said Ortiz.

One of the family's dogs made it out okay, a second dog was treated for smoke inhalation, but the Humane Society says he will be reunited with his family shortly.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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