LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Three people died after a fire broke out Sunday night in a house in Louisville's Crescent Hill neighborhood.
Louisville Fire was dispatched to a fire in the 200 block of Kennedy Court, between Frankfort Avenue and Grinstead Drive, at 7:13 p.m. Firefighters responded on scene within three minutes.
Lt. Col. Jason Golladay with Louisville Fire said Monday that three adults were hospitalized, two of whom died. A third victim, who was in critical condition, died Monday evening.
"The initial crew made entry right off the bat and removed the first victim within two minutes of arriving on the scene, immediately did life-saving measures, CPR, additional units arrived and continued the search and fire attack removing two more victims," Golladay said.
Linda Wood, 83, died after a house fire in Louisville's Crescent Hill neighborhood on Sunday, May 28, 2023. (Family photo)
The family told WDRB News that their mother, 83-year-old Linda Wood, died along with her son, Bill Leonard. He was a Gulf War veteran they said died on Memorial Day.
The family showed WDRB News a picture of Leonard with his wife, Rebecca, who had terminal cancer. The three lived together. They said she was on life-support after the fire. Louisville Fire confirmed Rebecca later died. Golladay said the couple was in their 50s.
Bill Leonard and his wife, Rebecca, died after a house fire in Louisville's Crescent Hill neighborhood on Sunday, May 28, 2023. (Family photo)
Cheryl Cooper and Susan Langford said they've been friends with Wood for at least a decade.
"It's just a real tragedy. We are just in total shock," Cooper said. "She had a great personality. I loved her wit. She had a lot of dry wit about her, really smart, wonderful bridge player and a really good friend."
"She was a really good friend and a 'hostess with the mostess,'" Langford said. "She loved to cook and would make delicious things."
Cooper said Wood recently had hip surgery and was having some trouble and worries that the medical condition could've prevented her from going down the stairs during the fire. Fire crews said they rescued all three victims by using the interior stair wells.
Louisville Fire said it took just under an hour to get the fire under control. About 60 firefighters were at the scene.
"Anytime you have rescues, that's your main focus," Golladay said. "We're removing life first. ... The life safety aspect of what we do is always the initial part. That causes problem with the initial fire attack, because you're not doing that. You're rescuing. But then the size of the home with it being three stories with fire the being advanced and spreading from the second to the third floors," that also made it more difficult to fight.
The cause of the fire hasn't been determined yet. Golladay said. Arson is investigating, "but there is nothing suspicious."
Investigators said, so far, they haven't found any smoke detectors in the home.
"That's part of our ongoing investigation still," Golladay said. "We would like to point out you can call 311 City Call and we will come out and install a smoke detector for free."
The family is now trying to salvage what they can inside the home. They picked up charred pictures and frames on Monday. They said the top floor of the home has heavy fire damage and the bottom floor has water damage.
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