Safety & Health

Ky. Firefighter Critically Burned in House Fire

Sept. 2, 2013

A Whitley City firefighter suffered burns over 90 percent of his body while looking for victims in a fire he and a colleague discovered and reported.

Source Lexington Herald-Leader

Whitley City Fire Lt. Artie Hill as seen in a photo posted on his Facebook page.

Sept. 01--A Whitley City firefighter was in critical condition Saturday night after being injured in a fire.

Lt. Arlie Hill and Lt. Adam Stephens, both from the Whitley City Fire Department, saw a fire at a home on Water Plant Road in their neighborhood at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, said Greg Bird, editor of the McCreary County Voice newspaper.

He said the men reported the fire, which was in the Pine Knot Fire Department's district, then went inside to see if anyone was trapped.

Bird, who said Whitley City fire officials had asked him to handle media inquiries about the incident, said Hill became trapped in the living room and suffered burns over 90 percent of his body. Hill was in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Saturday night.

Bird said that Hill rescued Stephens from the home, and that Stephens suffered burns to his arms and face. Stephens is expected to make a full recovery, Bird said.

Tony Cox, chief of the Pine Knot Fire Department, which put out the fire, confirmed Bird's information. He said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Karla Ward: (859) 231-3314. Twitter: @HLpublicsafety