This morning my pager went off for a residential structure fire with a rescue. The events that unfolded were not a good way to start my Christmas day but I love my job and I will continue to do it. I thought the day would get better but we had a truck get into an accident on the way back from the scene, nobody was hurt thankfully. Then I post a simple message to my friends including a message about making sure your smoke detectors work and I get a 16 friend of my lil sister respond with a laugh because she thought it was funny that her house didn't have smoke detectors. I am happy to say that the rest of the day was much better for me at least.


www.courier-journal.com

December 25, 2009

Two children die in Christmas morning house fire

By Diane Heilenman
dheilenman@courier-journal.com

Two children died in a predawn blaze early Christmas morning in eastern Jefferson County. The homeowners and three firefighters were injured.

The cause of the blaze at the Longview Lane home of Cathy and Irv Bailey was under investigation. Cathy Bailey is a former ambassador to Latvia and is a major Republican fundraiser who is considering a run for the U.S. Senate.

The Baileys were taken to a hospital, according to a statement released by Scott Jennings, a family spokesman. The statement did not identify the hospital but said the couple’s injuries were not life-threatening. It also did not give the names or ages of the children.

“Two children were killed in this tragedy, and the Bailey family is requesting privacy at this time of great loss,” the statement said.

Maj. Henry Ott of the Louisville Metro Arson Squad, who is heading the investigation into the cause of the fire, said the victims were ages 10 and 12.

Chief Chris Aponte of the Harrods Creek Fire Department said the fire was called in at 4:37 a.m. by an alarm system. He said the adults were outside the house when firefighters arrived and were trying to rescue the children.

Three firefighters were injured trying to get into the house, Aponte said. Two have minor burns and the other was being evaluated for an ankle injury, he said.

Ott said four people were on the first floor of the house and one was in the basement when the fire started, with the two children on the second floor. By late afternoon, what remained of the house had collapsed into the basement, he said.

A total of 45 firefighters from four departments fought the blaze, Aponte said. In addition to Harrods Creek, the responding departments were Lyndon, Worthington and St. Matthews.