Ky. Fire Hospitalizes 4 Victims, 1 Cop

Story by On Dec 11, 2009
Source: wlky.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. --

Five people, including a police officer and an infant, were taken to area hospitals after a fire at the Legacy Apartment complex on Thursday morning.

The call of fire came in at 9:11 a.m. Thursday at an apartment complex in the 5500 block of Hunt Club Lane. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke in several units and people stranded on the third floor.

Two people were rescued by firefighters on ladders. Five people were taken to the hospital. All five victims' injuries are expected to be non-life-threatening. Most were being treated for smoke inhalation.

"And they were above grade, so we had to raise ladders to get them down off those balconies," said Fairdale Fire Chief Don Whittry.

Fairdale and Pleasure Ridge Park fire companies responded to the fire.

Investigators believe the fire originated in the basement.

"When I opened the door it was pitch black, like there was absolutely nothing around it. Could not see the door across the hallway. Could not see the hand in front of your face. It was that black," said Renee Stone whose 2-month-old daughter was among those taken to the hospital.

"I took the two blankets I had, had one around her, one over her and I'm holding her as close to me as possible and ran down the hallway," said Stone.

As smoke and fire spread from a basement apartment, about a dozen families fled for safety through doors and windows.

"Then it finally opened. I had to bust the screen right here. I had to bust the screen out," said resident Danielle Smith.

Smith's window wouldn't stay open and she couldn't get her kids out.

Infant in hand and making a 911 call, Stone held the window open and pulled more kids to safety.

"I'm so thankful for that woman, I really am," Smith said of Stone.

Stone said her daughter will be fine, but realized she was moments away from never having the chance to be heroic.

"If our smoke detectors had not have beeped. If I had been asleep, any number of things, if any one of those things could have happened, there could have been a lot people dead," said Stone.

Twelve families were left without a place to stay after the fire. The church across the street from the apartment complex opened its doors to some of the displaced families.

Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

This is the second major fire at the Legacy Apartments this year.

In March, three firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling a blaze at the complex.

Two of them were hurt when a ceiling caved in.

Several apartments were destroyed and a number of people displaced by the March blaze. The cause of that fire was believed to be a grease fire.

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