Jacksonville, FL — A local teenager is being hailed a hero for helping save his family from a mobile home fire Friday.
The fire on Paradise Ln. in the Wonderwood displaced two adults and six children.
Luke Finster, 17, told Action News Jax he got home from work and was getting ready for bed when he heard the smoke detector go off.
“I went out to see what was going on. I saw flames and smoke,” Finster said.
Not only did he alert his family to the fire, he ran back into the burning home to help rescue his younger siblings.
“As a big brother, I really would do anything to try and protect them and help them,” Finster said.
He quickly realized his two-year-old sister was trapped inside.
“I didn’t hesitate to go back in,” Finster said. “I couldn’t see anything because at that point it’s just a huge black cloud of smoke.”
The teen said the smoke was too strong, so he had to get out.
"As a big brother, I really would do anything to try and protect them." A local teen is being hailed a hero for saving his younger siblings from a mobile home fire in Wonderwood. Hear from the teen only on @ActionNewsJax at 6 p.m. on CBS47/FOX30. pic.twitter.com/2BgZloaxX0
— Christy Turner (@ChristyANJax) February 7, 2020
Firefighters rescued the little girl. They used a ladder to climb on top of a shed to reach the room she was in.
The toddler was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Family said she is doing much better.
Finster was also treated for smoke inhalation and is expected to be released from the hospital soon.
“I took in a lot of smoke as I was going through the house,” Finster said. “It felt like it was sucking the air out of me.”
Finster said his stepdad cut his arm trying to break through the glass window. He said he needs surgery.
The family lost everything in the fire.
The teen said that can all be replaced, but family can’t.
The next door neighbors are collecting donations for the family. The children are ages 17, 11, 3, 2 and 7-months-old.
The family needs clothes, diapers, baby food, school supplies and toys.
They said donors can drop the items off at the house on Paradise Lane.
Here are the clothing and shoe sizes for the family members:
Size 14 to 16 slim teen boys
Size 10 slim girls
Size 3T boys
Size 2T girls (x2)
Size 9/12 mos girls
Men’s Large 34/36
Women’s medium, anywhere from 4 to 10
Boys shoes size 8 or 9
Girls shoes size 3 to 4
Toddler boys size 7
Toddler girls size 5
