GENEVA, Fla. \u2013 A grandfather ran back into a burning home in the middle of the night to save his 3-year-old grandson \u2014 pulling the toddler from smoke-filled rooms and escaping through a window. <\/p>\n
The Seminole County Fire Department rushed to the home on East Osceola Road in Geneva early Friday morning. Wendy Baker tells News 6 that the fire in her brother\u2019s home started in the attic above the kitchen and spread while the family was sleeping. <\/p>\n
Baker said six people were inside when the fire broke out: her brother Gary, his wife Tami, Baker\u2019s 22-year-old niece Kayla and her two young children \u2014 19-month-old Nico and 3-year-old Luca, and her 12-year-old nephew Liam. <\/p>\n
Baker said several family members never heard the smoke alarms.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy sister-in-law, her daughter, they\u2019re hearing impaired,\u201d Baker said. \u201cAnd my nephew, he\u2019s hard of hearing as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Home destroyed in fire on Osceola Road (WKMG)<\/p>\n
Baker said the family\u2019s dogs woke them up. But by then, smoke had already filled the house and blocked the path to safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy brother got up, he opened the door. There was smoke everywhere. He couldn\u2019t see in front of him,\u201d Baker said. \u201cHe broke the window in his room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baker\u2019s brother cut his hands, breaking through the glass to get people out. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe had blood everywhere. He broke the window. He just grabbed, you know, my sister-in-law and, you know, took her through the window and my nephew as well,\u201d said Baker. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Baker\u2019s niece was also trying to escape with both of her young children.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe saw that there was a crawl space that she could \u2014 that there was not a lot of smoke \u2014 so she literally hit the ground. She was dragging the 3-year-old, she was holding the baby,\u201d Baker said. \u201cThe 3-year-old got scared, got loose, ran back into the room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy Baker talks to News 6’s Catherine Silver outside the remnants of her family home. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Baker\u2019s niece made it out with the baby. The moment she did, she realized Luca was still inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was screaming. She was like, \u2018Luca still in there? He\u2019s still in there!\u201d Baker recalled. \u201cMy brother literally ran back in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baker\u2019s brother re-entered the home \u2014 heading straight into the smoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was screaming, he was like, \u2018Where are you?\u2019\u201d Baker said. \u201cHe heard him, and all of a sudden he didn\u2019t hear him anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baker\u2019s brother dropped to the ground and crawled through the darkness, feeling for Luca. When he found him, the boy was unresponsive.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe grabbed him. He ran out. They started giving him CPR,\u201d Baker said. <\/p>\n
Both the grandfather and Luca were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Baker said 19-month-old Nico also required supplemental oxygen before he was stabilized and discharged. The entire family has since been released from the hospital.<\/p>\n
The family also lost four dogs and four cats in the fire, according to Baker. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou just work so hard for everything that you have, the memories that you make, you know, all gone within eight minutes,\u201d Baker said. \u201cHe said it took eight minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baker said her brother is devastated but trying to stay strong for his family. The plan is to eventually tear down what remains of the structure and rebuild on the same property \u2014 the home her brother worked hard to own.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is home for them. This is their property,\u201d Baker said. \u201cThis is what they bought. This is what they have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baker said the response from the community has been overwhelming. Within a day and a half of the fire, donations of clothing and supplies had already started pouring in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe community has answered so well. They have been amazing,\u201d Baker said. \u201cI just keep getting messages, messages and messages.\u201d<\/p>\n