Anderson County firefighters save animals from house fire

ANDERSON COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ)- An Anderson county family is without a home after theirs burnt to the ground Monday afternoon, but some of their neighbors say they are thankful. That is because the “whole” family is safe.

Animals are important to Chasity Stratton. She is teaching her daughter to love them like family so it was particularly frightening Monday afternoon when a fire broke out at the house across the street, the house belonging to Stratton’s animal loving neighbors.

“It was too close to home,” Stratton said.

She says she first worried about people, but she knew no one was home. Next, she thought about the dogs and cats trapped inside.

“I almost started crying because I thought the pets were gonna die,” Stratton said.

Firefighters say some animals got out safely by running straight out the door, but others were still stuck inside.

“Battalion Chief found a dog under the couch and pulled it out then his son later on, he’s another firefighter, his son found the cat on the couch,” Anderson County Fire Battalion Chief Marty Terry said.

Terry says his team responded quickly, but the home was more than ten miles away, and totaled when they arrived. That is frustrating for a firefighter, but at least they are able to bring some comfort to a family that now has to rebuild.

“It’s always a good win if you can get a family bible or, you know, a dog and a cat in this case,” Terry said.

He adds firefighters try to rescue family mementos or pets when they can. He says there are stickers you can put on your home to alert firefighters of pets that might need a rescue inside.