LITHIA, Fla. — A father and two of his children died after fire destroyed their home Monday afternoon.

The children's mother and three-year-old brother were able to get out and are expected to be OK.

"I don't think she'll be able to get over this," said Suzette Pena, cousin of the children's mother, Veronica Bermudez.

Pena said she rushed to the manufactured home at 8601 Pritcher Rd. after her own father called and told her about the fire. 

"When I got here, it was just mom and the middle child," Pena said.

Pena said Bermudez, 22, told her the whole family, including her husband, Angel Lopez, 22, and children Angel, Elijah and Harmony Lopez were napping after Bermudez's overnight shift at the Seven Star convenience store.

Pena told Spectrum Bay News 9 it was three-year-old Elijah who woke his mother.

"The child did wake up due to smelling smoke," Pena said. "He ran to go and tell mom, 'Mommy, Mommy — the house. Mommy, the house.' She grabbed him and threw him outside."

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Bermudez's hands were burned as she tried to save the rest of her family.

"She tried coming back, and she just started getting burns, marks all over her hands," said Pena. "She is missing pieces of her hair, trying to save her husband and her babies."

The sheriff's office said crews arrived 12 minutes after Bermudez called 911.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Public Safety Information Chief Rob Herrin said they were faced with heavy flames and heat and a partially collapsed roof.

Herrin said firefighters were unable to make immediate entry.

After using hoses to cool the area, they were able to get inside, but it was too late.

Lopez, along with five-year-old Angel, Jr. and one-year-old Harmony, didn't make it.

Parents Veronica Bermudez, 22, and Angel Lopez, 22, with their children, Harmony Lopez, 14 months, Angel Lopez, Jr., 5 and Elijah Lopez, 3. (Courtesy: Suzette Peña)

"This scene has all of our responders shaken," Sheriff Chad Chronister is quoted in a news release. "Losing three lives, especially two children, is a tragedy beyond words. Nothing prepares you for scenes like this. My heart is heavy with sadness for the family and the community."

"The sheriff mentioned his deputy trying to get in the home and save these victims, and he felt helpless," said Herrin. "I don't think there's a better term for the way we feel not being able to do our job. That is our primary job is to rescue people from a fire or car accidents or whatever emergency scene we're on. When we can't do that, it deeply affects us."

"They were amazing," Pena said of Angel, Angel, Jr. and Harmony. "Angel was an amazing dad. He did everything possible to make his babies happy."

Herrin said Bermudez and Elijah were taken to the hospital but are expected to recover. 

Crews were still working to determine the cause of the fire early Monday evening.