Family and pets rescued from early morning house fire in east Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A woman, two children and two dogs were rescued from a house fire Monday morning in the Eastwood neighborhood.

The fire started just after 5:20 a.m. in the 16000 block of Meander Way, which is in a neighborhood near Polo Fields Golf and Country Club in east Louisville.

Meander Way House Fire — Pictured: this image shows a house damaged by fire in the 16000 block of Meander Way in east Louisville, Ky., on Dec. 9, 2024. (WDRB/Darby Beane)

Anchorage Middleton Fire and EMS spokesperson Jordan Yuodis said firefighters believe the fire started in the kitchen.

"What we were told is the dad was using an air fryer before he left to go to work, so all the indications lead to believe it started there," Yuodis said.

Yuodis said when the dad left for work, the mom and two children were still inside. He said once she realized there was a fire, the mom helped the two children jump out of an upstairs window in the back of the house to get to safety.

"The initial report that we got was the mom smelled smoke, she woke up, came downstairs (and) went back upstairs to get the kids," Yuodis said. "By the time she tried to come back downstairs, they couldn't make it down the stairs. So (it was) a very smart decision on trying to get themselves out and, of course, waiting for first responders to arrive. But the outcome couldn't have been any better."

Yuodis said when firefighters got to the scene, they used a ladder to help the mom escape from window.

"She did exactly what she should have done to save her life and her kids' lives," he said.

One neighbor, Raj Pratap, said he didn't know the family personally, but, living in the neighborhood, he awoke to several messages on the area Facebook page about the fire.

"I'm glad everyone is OK and I hope they are safe," Pratap said.

Two dogs were also rescued from the second floor of the home and taken by ambulance to a pet hospital for evaluation. They are both expected to make a full recovery, Yuodis said.

The fire department said the mom and children were evaluated by EMS on scene and did not need to be taken to a hospital.

Much of the damage is only visible on the inside of the home. There is a pile of debris from the kitchen now in the front yard. Yuodis said when firefighters got to the scene, smoke alarms were actively working.

"The damage that you don't see is mainly just because of quick and how aggressive the fire suppression was," Yuodis said.

The Red Cross said it provided immediate emergency assistance to the family. The fire department believes the family should be able to eventually move back into the home.

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