June 09--A Saturday morning fire destroyed a house at 1620 Leitchfield Road, but two of the occupants who were at home were able to get out unharmed.
The fire was called in to the dispatch center at 9:28 a.m. Firefighters found quite a bit of smoke when they arrived, and two rooms on the first floor were on fire, Owensboro Fire Chief Steve Mitchell said at the scene.
Property Valuation Administrator's records show that Linda Kaye Hillard owns the home. Two daughters lived with the homeowner in the upper levels, Mitchell said, and a man lived in the basement.
Access to the location was not easy, he said.
The house is on a hill bordered by Norris Avenue and East 15th Street.
"We got the two rooms knocked out, but with the balloon (type of home) construction, there's nothing to stop it once it gets to the walls," the chief said. "It spread to the second floor and attic. It was a fast-moving fire once it got in the attic space."
Fire crews fought the fire until the attic and second floor got to "backdraft conditions," he said. Knowing that no human life was in the home, he pulled crews out for their safety. Three firefighters were on the second floor and the roof was collapsing when the crew was pulled back.
A family pet died in the blaze.
"We've been doing an aggressive, exterior defensive attack," Mitchell said at about noon. Three of the five stations worked the fire. Mitchell called in additional personnel to relieve the original responding crew.
Firefighters were at the scene for five hours, Mitchell said.
The firefighters worked hard to save what they could, he said. They were able to save some pictures.
Red Cross disaster volunteers were at the home "helping with whatever arrangements they need" such as lodging and clothes," said Patricia Newton, one of the volunteers.
Joy Campbell, 691-7299, [email protected]
Copyright 2013 - Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
