8 people forced out by condo fire

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Sunday night, eight people survived a condominium fire in Summerfield.

Darlene Dandrea told Fox 35 that this was her "worst fear." You could hear the panic in her voice Monday morning. She grabbed her cell phone to capture the flames shooting from her neighbor's Summerfield condominium.

Eight people ran for their lives, and were forced out of the condo by fire. Dandrea tried to save neighbors.

"My husband ran out the back door. He looked out the window, he heard people screaming," she said.

Dandrea went on to call 911, grab a fire extinguisher, and ran next door. Her husband frantically woke a neighbor sleeping inside. She desperately tried saving her other neighbors.

Dandrea said "She finally woke up and came down the door. We got her out, but the dog was still up there, so he ran up there and got the dog."

The fire flared up again Monday morning, and firefighters quickly put it out. Those eight people made it out safely, but they can't go home tonight.

Marion County Fire Rescue says neighbors went around kicking neighbors doors, doing anything to get them out as the fire burned.

James Lucas with the Marion Fire Rescue said "It's admirable they did the right thing. Alerting those people, whether they were napping or sleeping. Not knowing your neighbors--it's always important to try and alert your neighbors in a case like this."

Dandrea said she'd save her neighbors again, in a flash. She say they are "a pretty tight-knit group."

This definitely was not the night or morning anyone around here expected.

People tell FOX 35 they're glad no one was hurt. The official cause is under investigation.