Fire crews responded to a two-alarm house fire in Anchorage, Kentucky on Christmas Eve.
Anchorage and Middletown fire departments were initially dispatched to a report of a structure fire at approximately 1730 hours. A Middletown command car reported a column of smoke in the area and first due Anchorage engine 2031 reported heavy smoke upon their arrival.
A second alarm was transmitted, bringing Engine 1633 and Engine 1635 from the Lyndon Fire Department, along with Battalion Chief 1602.
Anchorage firefighters attempted an interior attack, but rapidly deteriorating conditions forced an evacuation of the structure and a defensive attack was established.
A water supply problem hampered efforts to put out the blaze, which took several hours to extinguish. In addition, unconfirmed reports indicate that the fire may have started in the fireplace and possibly burned for several hours before being noticed. The owner reported that the wall around his gas-fed fireplace became hot and the fireplace was shut off around 1300 hours. Another family member reported smoke in a bedroom and the fire was then discovered shortly before dispatch.
Single digit temperatures, along with several inches of snow and ice, created challenging conditions for firefighters working at the scene. One firefighter was transported to an area hospital after sustaining a non-life threatening leg injury.
