A man went out for a quick run to the store, then found himself rushing into a burning Putnam Valley home to save five children and their mother.

"The entire front of the house was engulfed in flames," says Mike Cola, the good Samaritan. "It was arching -- I'm hearing all these explosions."

Cola, a father of two himself, says he stopped his car on Oskawana Lane and ran into the house.

Witnesses say he almost got hit by a car as he charged toward the flames.

"There was a menagerie of children," he says. "It happened so fast."

At one point, he took video of flames firing out of the garage. He says he heard explosions and saw shooting flames. Within minutes, firefighters arrived and put out the blaze.

"Those guys were like the 'Avengers,'" Cola said, referring to the firefighters and a cast of Marvel superheroes. "Fire out."

Despite the damage, no one was hurt.