SAN DIEGO -- The Servis family barely escaped death from the Cedar Fire and as they were leaving their Muth Valley home Sunday night flames barricaded them.

FIRESTORM 2003 Firestorm Archive: Updates, Stories, Video, Slideshows Slideshows: Viewer Fire Photos Video: 10News Fire Video Archive Discuss: Share Thoughts About Fires

Video

See Dramatic Escape From Fire (No Audio)

They captured their horrific escape on home video and shared it with 10News' reporter Lauren Reynolds.

"The flames just sounded like a jet engine, just roaring," James Servis said.

"There's a point in the video where I drop the camera on the seat of my truck and I just had to drive through the flames. It was so hot. I've never felt heat like that. I thought for a brief moment, 'this is how I'm going to die,'" Servis said.

James, his wife Aubrey, and two children made it through the flames safely. However, 12 others from the neighborhood did not.

"The first thing we did was called our families, held each other, and we prayed," Servis said.

Their brush with fire put everything in perspective when later they realized their house was destroyed.

"I thought, well we were planning on moving, but now we don't have to pack," Servis said.

"It's always going to remind me of how thankful I am, what's most important, my family, and my life," he added.

Meantime, some Muth Valley neighbors have expressed concern that they were never told to evacuate, even after some called 911.