OCALA, Fla. --
A fully engulfed mobile home fire in the Ocala Estates area early Saturday morning left five people dead.
Marion County fire officials said they received a call from a cell phone shortly before 6:45 a.m. from a person driving by the scene at NW 114th Ct., a few miles from Interstate 75.
Within minutes, firefighters from six stations arrived at the scene and found the mobile home fully engulfed in flames with its roof collapsed. Firefighters fought the fire in a defensive mode and got it under control by about 7:20 a.m., officials said.
Relatives identified the victims as Tabetha Belanger, 25, and her four young boys, Hunter Belanger, 6; Nicholas Belanger, 4; Michael Belanger-Chase, 2; and Aron Chase Jr., who is almost 3 months old. Lt. Bernie Kleinschmidt of the state fire marshal's office told WESH 2's Craig Lucie that while they have no reason to believe the victims are anyone else, official confirmation will come from the medical examiner, perhaps as soon as Sunday.
The children's father was out of town on a hunting trip. Only the family dog, Socks, made it out alive.
Marion County Fire-Rescue officials said it is one of the worst fires they have ever responded to.
Marion County Fire-Rescue representative Miranda Iglesias said the five deaths marked "the largest number single fatalities in the past 20 years."
Toys remained strewn in the front yard after the fire. A neighbor said he was on his way to work when he saw flames crawling up the side of the home.
"I saw the side of the house on fire. So, I went inside and called 911 right away," Joaquin Flores said.
While Flores was on the phone with the 911 operator, he said he could see flames shooting into the air.
"The fire started where the air conditioner was; that part of wall of the house was on fire," Flores said.
Strangers showed up to bring flowers to the scene, where all that was left of the 800-square-foot mobile home was charred metal. The state fire marshal continued to investigate the fire.
The Florida State Fire Marshal's Office is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire. Authorities said they do not believe the home was equipped with smoke detectors.
Noting that fires are especially devastating when they occur at night because most people are asleep and less aware of their surroundings, fire officials urged citizens to take safety precautions such as replacing smoke alarm batteries at least twice a year, testing and inspecting smoke alarms at least once a month and creating a fire escape plan. They said residents should identify two exits from every room and establish a safe meeting place outside.
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