Published: October 20, 2009 09:01 am      

Stubborn fire

Firefighters battle flames at home outside of Corbin

By Becky Manley / Staff Writer

Firefighters battled a stubborn fire early Monday that took about four hours to extinguish and left a home uninhabitable.

The homeowner reported the fire about 1:30 a.m. at a single-story home located just outside the Corbin city limits along KY 1629, according to West Knox Volunteer Fire Department Chief Darryl Baker.

When firefighters arrived, they found smoke pouring from the home, Baker said.

“The basement was where the majority of the fire was at,” Baker said.

The Corbin Fire Department and Keavy Volunteer Fire Department were also called to the scene to assist, Baker said.

Limited access to the approximately 1,500 square-foot basement made the fire fight difficult and the temperature soared to over 900 degrees, Baker said.

“There was massive heat and smoke,” he said.

It took about four hours to get the blaze under control and Baker said his department remained at the scene for more than five hours.

“When there’s no life in danger, we don’t as aggressively attack the fire because there’s no use in putting our lives in danger doing something foolish,” Baker said.

The homeowner escaped without injury and no firefighters were injured, Baker said.

The first floor of the home suffered heat and smoke damage, leaving the house uninhabitable for the homeowner, Baker said.

Baker didn’t know a cause of the fire but said it isn’t considered suspicious.