Four dead in fire at former tennis pro's Florida home

UPDATED: 3:12 p.m. EST, May 7, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. - Four people were found dead inside a Tampa mansion owned by a retired tennis player after a fire broke out on the estate Wednesday morning, reports CBS affiliate WTSP.

According to the station, the 5,856 square-foot home was owned by former tennis pro James Blake. A contact with the James Blake Foundation told WTSP that the star athlete was not inside the house, located on the grounds of the Avila Golf and Country Club, when the fire broke out.

Detectives have so far been unable to go inside the home as Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews continue to put out hot spots, the station reports. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The four deceased have not yet been identified, nor has their cause of death been released by investigators, according to WTSP. The Sheriff's Office said the biggest fear is losing evidence in the flames.

Blake, who was once the top-ranked American tennis player in the world, retired last year.