No one injured in Science Hill fire

Jan. 17—No one was injured in a Tuesday afternoon fire in Science Hill, but the weather conditions made battling the fire difficult for firefighters.

"The cold weather always makes everything much more difficult. The roadway was slick and hazardous, and with the snow it's harder to move around outside the structure," said Science Hill Fire Chief Josh Whitis.

Those bad conditions makes it even more important that no one was injured, he said. "Anytime we go to a fire and there's no injuries, that's always a positive, but especially when we're dealing with inclement weather and hazardous conditions."

The fire took place at a residence on Perry Street. Whitis said that a preliminary investigation indicates the fire started due to an electrical issue.

"There was a heavy amount of fire when we got there, and also in the attic area, it had spread throughout most of the attic," he said.

Along with the Science Hill department, units from the Dabney Volunteer Fire Department and the Somerset Fire Department assisted. Somerset-Pulaski EMS was on standby due to the hazardous conditions, Whitis said.

He said he believed the residence would be considered a total loss.

Members of the Red Cross have been in touch with the homeowners to offer assistance, Whitis said.

With frigid cold temperatures and the threat of more snow in the forecast, Whitis asked homeowners to be aware of potential electrical dangers within their homes.

"Everyone always needs to remember to use caution and safe practices when they're dealing with any type of electrical appliances, especially during this cold weather where people may be trying to stay warm and doing something different to keep their residence warm," he said.

Carla Slavey can be reached at cslavey@somerset-kentucky.com