LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two people were killed in an apartment fire in Douglas Park early Feb. 9.
Louisville Fire responded to reports of a fire at a three-story multi-family apartment complex at 12:30 a.m. Crews took approximately 10 minutes to take down the bulk of the fire.
Several residents left without injuries, but firefighters said two people—one adult and one child—in a first-floor apartment were killed. Neighbors said the two killed were a mother and son, possibly three years old.
Patrick Britt lives in a nearby apartment and said he first saw the flames while sitting in his living room.
"Just shocked. I couldn't believe the amount of fire and heat you could feel from back here. As you were walking up you could just feel the heat from how big the flame was," he said.
Britt said he and other neighbors sprung into action once they saw the fire.
"This whole area was just full of people just kicking out windows, screaming, putting blankets on people," Britt said. "Me and my friend was busting out the windows trying to get people out screaming and hollering but by the time we got there, there was nothing we could do, it was too late."
Britt said there were several children inside the apartments while it was engulfed.
"The people from the upper levels, they were basically just tossing their kids down to the ground level just trying to get them out the apartments before the rest of it caught on fire. So I was just trying to catch the kids," he said. "I have a four year old son myself and the only thing I was thinking was like that could've been anybody and the fact that two people lost their lives is tragic."
While the structure still remains, most of what's left sits in debris piles.
"I still can't believe it. I mean it don't seem real, but it is real. From the aftermath, you can just imagine how bad it was when it was first going, like there's nothing left," Britt said.
The Louisville Fire Division said there were 29 firefighters that helped extinguish the fire. One firefighter was taken to the hospital after a minor injury.
Louisville Fire said the fire caused significant damage throughout the building, and the Kentucky Red Cross is helping displaced residents.
"It was really an all around effort from everybody because it could've been worse. A lot of people could've died if it they wouldn't have come help like they did," Britt said.
Arson investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
The Louisville Fire Department provides and installs smoke alarms to residents in the Urban Services District. Contact 311 to request a free fire safety check.
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