90-year-old grandmother dies in house fire: ‘She was trying to save her dogs’

AVONDALE, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) - A family in Arizona says they have lost everything in a house fire, including their grandmother.

The fire happened over the weekend at a home in Avondale, about 30 minutes outside of downtown Phoenix.

“The house was completely lit up in flames,” said family member Devynn Vasquez. “My cousin and uncle were there as well as his mother. Thinking of them burning in it is just frightening.”

Two family members were sent to the hospital after suffering injuries in the fire, but 90-year-old Esther Cabrera died.

“It’s a lot for our family, so we are just sticking together,” Vasquez said.

The family said it is holding out hope for the critically injured members as they sent to the Maricopa County Burn Unit.

“Scary. I mean my cousin doesn’t have the mobility to be able to move quickly and think on his feet and my uncle is older,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez said her uncle, Frank Cabrera, was hurt while he ran through the burning home, rescuing his son, who has cerebral palsy.

Frank Cabrera reportedly also went back inside to grab Esther Cabrera.

“He had her by the hand, but she released him because she wanted to get her dogs,” said relative Juanita Guerrero. “But he ended up inhaling a lot of smoke and collapsed and couldn’t get her out.”

According to the family, the dogs were everything to Esther Cabrera.

“She was a very loving, nice woman. She loved her pets, they were her life,” Vasquez said. “She was trying to save her dogs but unfortunately she didn’t make it out.”

The family said the two relatives at the hospital suffered third-degree burns and are currently in medically induced comas with planned surgeries.

“I saw my brother-in-law in the ambulance, and I saw him covered in burns, all over his arms, and he was in a lot of pain,” Guerrero said.

Family members said they have set up a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses while trying to recover after the devastating house fire.

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