Bardstown Fire Department battles 2 structure fires with thin crew

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two damaging fires in the same week forced Bardstown firefighters to battle the flames with thin crews.

The first fire, which happened last Thursday, June 16, began in the attic of Hunan Restaurant shortly after closing, according to fire officials. Four Bardstown Fire Department firefighters were on duty and responded. The building was a total loss.

"We were there for several, several hours on that one," said Chief Billy Mattingly.

Days later, on Tuesday, June 21, flames erupted on the patio of a residential area above downtown's Hurst Drug Store. Again, only four firefighters were on duty for the city fire department.

"We're pretty sure that one started by careless smoking, by a cigarette being put out in some mulch that shouldn't have been," Mattingly said.

However, crews stopped the flames.

"It had the potential of possibly losing that whole building," Mattingly said.

In both fire calls, the Bardstown Fire Department only had four firefighters to battle the flames. That's common for the small department of 20 total. According to Mattingly, that number can handle the majority of calls given the department's low fire volume.

However, when large fires hit the community, like the last two, the department is understaffed.

"It was a big challenge to try to overcome all that," mentioned Mattingly.

The department is sometimes forced to rely on other area departments for help. Despite the fires' devastating blows this week, the saving grace is that those are rare.

"For us to get two back to back like that, it's unusual for us," Mattingly added.

No one was injured in either of the fires.