House fires destroy two homes and injure three occupants
BROWNSVILLE, Ky. – Two families lost their houses overnight in the viewing area and three people were taken to the hospital with injuries.
In Edmonson County, the Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department responding to the fire in the 300 block of Caneyville Road around 5 a.m.
The house was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.
Two people inside the home had to be airlifted to a hospital and a third resident was taken by ambulance.
One of those injured included a teenager who suffered second- and third-degree burns, according to fire officials.
J.T. Carroll, the chief of Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department, says this is the second horrific fire his department has responded to in the last year.
“I’ve been doing this all of my life, almost 40 years now, and you don’t have that many structure fires with people involved in the fires. Most of the time they’re gone and stuff like that,” said Carroll.
But this wasn’t one of those times.
“It was a total loss when we pulled up. It was just containment. We didn’t want it to get up in the woods and stuff because, like I said, the winds was blowing and stuff some like it is now and we was just basically trying to wet everything down to slow the fire down where there wouldn’t be other dangers of it scattering around everywhere else,” said Carroll.
Family members of those injured say all occupants are in stable condition.
The second house fire took place in Rockfield. Officials say there were no injuries, but the house is a complete loss.
Upon arrival, firefighters could see flames and smoke coming from the home.
After fire personnel left the scene overnight, a call coming in about the home reigniting Tuesday morning, forcing firefighters to return to the home.
Browning Volunteer Fire Chief, Keith Lockhart, says fires reigniting is not all that uncommon, especially on windy days like Tuesday.
“What normally happens is hotspots hit hotspots and air wind getting in there and it causes it to reignite,” said Lockhart.
Officials say the fire is now extinguished for good.
