Firefighters: Age of home factor in deadly Bourbon County fire

Millersburg, Ky. (WTVQ) — A deadly fire claims the life of a man in Bourbon County and firefighters say the home’s construction played a big part.

The Bourbon County Coroner says 47 year-old William Everett George died at Bourbon Community Hospital after a fire in his home on Ritchie Street Monday night.

“Most frequently if we find a victim in a fire, they’re going to be just inside a door, they’re going to almost make it out and they’re overcome. This was not the case here,” says Millersburg Fire Chief Bill Deutsch.

Deutsch believes the age of the houses played a role in the fire spreading so quickly.

“People who lived in this part of the community built to get by. And it’s not a criticism, it’s just an unfortunate reality. It just doesn’t take long if a fire gets into that wood, it goes awfully fast,” says Deutsch.

Deutsch also believes the fire could have been more dangerous since the houses on the street were so close together.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.