Hillsborough officials say five people escaped from the single-family home that was destroyed by the blaze, which was reported around 2:15 a.m.
But the family's two dogs, who apparently were in the basement, were killed.
Witnesses say the fire quickly engulfed the home, producing thick smoke and intense heat that also damaged the exteriors of four neighboring homes. But officials say the residents of the damaged homes did not need to be evacuated.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
