LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville firefighters on their way to a medical emergency discovered a house fire in the Portland neighborhood Tuesday morning.
A vacant house caught fire in the 300 block of North 26th Street.
Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill said no one lived there, but they did find squatters inside at the time of the fire.
Everyone made it out safely, including 2 people firefighters rescued out of the building.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
"We are seeing a lot of vacant structures. People need to understand we understand how bitterly cold it is. People are going to do whatever they can to stay warm," O'Neill said. "Certainly the city has a lot of resources out. [Operation] White Flag is out for all shelters, so we try to get people to get out and get warm."
Operation White Flag goes into effect when the temperature or wind chill is below 35 degrees.
The participating Operation White Flag shelters include:
- Wayside Christian Mission (accepts cats and dogs), 432 E. Jefferson St., 502/742-7019
- Salvation Army Center for Hope (day shelter only), 911 S. Brook St., 502/671-4904
To locate the nearest shelter and to reserve a bed, residents also can call the Coordinated Shelter Access (CSA) line at (502) 637-2337.
If the CSA line is closed (open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), contact the shelter directly.
For more information about Operation White Flag, please click here.
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