Clark home destroyed after fire Thursday

Published 12:31 pm Monday, March 19, 2018

An afternoon blaze destroyed a house built around a log cabin in rural Clark County Thursday.

Clark County Fire Chief Ernie Barnes said the fire was reported by a mail carrier shortly after noon on Ferry Road along the Red River. Barnes said the residence, near a campground and boat dock, had been vacant for about two weeks.

“When our first crew went on scene, there was fire coming out of one window,” Barnes said. “It very quickly became fully involved.”

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Firefighters, along with those from Winchester Fire-EMS, Irvine Fire Department, Hargett Volunteer Fire Department and Estill County Volunteer Fire Department, spent much of the afternoon battling the blaze, Barnes said. Estill County VFD sent a tanker truck, and firefighters were able to draw water from the river to battle the fire.

The residence, he said, started as a log cabin and multiple additions were built through the years.

The heat also caused one propane tank to explode. Barnes said the tank was empty and no one was injured.

“It it’d been full, it would have hurt my guys,” he said.

After the fire, the cabin walls and the chimneys are all that are standing. Firefighters returned to the scene shortly after midnight Friday morning after a hot spot rekindled, he said. As of Friday morning, a cause had not been determined.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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