A grandmother and her 10-year-old grandson were killed after a fast-moving house fire engulfed their Palm Bay home early Monday, with firefighters arriving to find the house fully ablaze.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media – January 13, 2026
A Florida grandmother and her 10-year-old grandson were killed early Monday morning after a fast-moving house fire tore through their Palm Bay home, officials said.
Palm Bay Fire Rescue crews responded to multiple 911 calls shortly after 2 a.m. on Monday, January 12, reporting a house fire with people possibly trapped inside. Firefighters arrived around 2:20 a.m. to find the home almost completely engulfed in flames and heavy smoke.
Assistant Fire Chief Richard Acevedo said a woman was outside the home when crews arrived and informed firefighters that two people were still inside. Despite efforts by emergency responders, the grandmother and her grandson could not be saved.
Officials confirmed that a 10-year-old boy and an elderly woman died in the fire. Their names have not yet been released pending notification of family members.
Acevedo said the fire appeared to involve the entire structure. “The entire home was pretty much burned. No spot is burned more than the other. It seemed pretty involved on all sides,” he said.
Neighbors described chaotic scenes as the fire spread rapidly through the house. One resident, Maureen Bell, said she heard screams and later learned a child had been killed. “It was terrible when we heard that because he was just a sweet little boy,” she said.
Another neighbor, Michael Walsh, said the fire intensified quickly, estimating it took about 15 minutes from ignition to becoming uncontrollable.
A makeshift memorial was placed outside the destroyed home on Monday as neighbors gathered to mourn the victims.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials have not released preliminary details about what may have sparked the blaze.
