STANTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Powell County family is trying to pick up the pieces after a devastating fire took their home and left four of them with injuries.
Eric Southwood lives in the community off Deerview Drive in Stanton, where a home caught on fire. He says he was home when it happened.
"I kept hearing a banging noise and when I opened my front door, there was flames coming out of the back bedroom,” says Southwood.
He says he was able to help get the kids out. He says, "I knocked out one of the back windows to help get one of the kids out through the back window."
It's something the kids’ grandmother, Michelle Brown, says she's grateful for.
Brown says, “I don’t know how you would explain it...this is not anything that I would ever wish on anybody. This is probably the most heartbreaking day I’ve ever had in my life."
Brown explains that her family bought the home one year ago today. Fire crews were on the scene just after 9:00 a.m. and said four people were inside—a father, his two sons, and his daughter.
Assistant Fire Chief at the Stanton Fire Department and Powell County Judge Executive Eddie Barnes says, "Upon arrival they found of course heavy fire on the front end of the trailer. And people had directed them in and said that there was possibly a child in the back part of the trailer."
Barnes says 1-year-old KeeKee was taken to Clark Regional, then she was flown to UK Healthcare. She's on life support.
Her father, Austin, and brothers, 3-year-old Lukas and 4-year-old Sebastian, were taken to UK Healthcare, and then Austin was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital Burn Center.
Barnes says, "Right now, the fire is being investigated by the Kentucky Fire Marshall's office, Stanton Police Department, and the Stanton Fire Department. I'd hate to get into the investigation, but right now, the way it's looking, it's possibly accidental."
He says until the investigation is done, he can't speculate, and won’t know what caused the fire. A GoFundMe has been started to help this family who lost everything. It can be accessed here. Michelle Brown says she can also be reached on Facebook.
Brown says she wants people to hold their loved ones a little closer. She says, "Hold your families close, hold your babies close. Hold your grandbabies close. Tell them you love them, reach out to your friends, tell them you love them. Because nobody is promised a tomorrow, and this could happen to anybody."
