Massive downtown Williamsburg fire leaves block heavily damaged; firefighter injured
WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — A massive fire tore through part of downtown Williamsburg overnight, leaving much of a Main Street block heavily damaged and several people displaced.
Fire officials say the fire broke out late Tuesday night, prompting a large-scale response from fire departments across multiple counties. More than 100 firefighters worked through the night to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading further.
Brian Woods, a captain with the Williamsburg Fire Department, said crews were dispatched just before 10 p.m. and remained on scene into Wednesday morning.
“We got a call last night right before 10 o’clock and came over here, and we’ve been here ever since,” Woods said. “We called in mutual aid from three or four different counties. It burned about three-quarters of the block, but we got it knocked down and now we’re just dealing with hotspots.”
Woods said one firefighter was injured during the response and taken to the hospital for treatment. He also confirmed that a woman had to be rescued from the fire and was taken to the hospital. She has since been released.
Fire officials say the blaze nearly destroyed five businesses, with apartments located above several of them. Woods said evacuating residents was the first priority when crews arrived.
“The minute I got here, it was smoking really, really bad, and I knew it was just a matter of time before it went to the roof,” Woods said. “Our main concern was getting everybody evacuated. Everybody that came to help did an awesome job. Thank God it didn’t take the whole block.”
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison visited the scene shortly after the fire started and praised the coordinated response.
“It was engulfed in flames, and then it spread up the block,” Harrison said. “Fantastic cooperation from all the fire departments. We probably had 100 firefighters here and needed every one of them.”
Harrison said it took crews more than 10 hours to get the fire under control. Several residents who lived in apartments above the businesses were displaced, and City Hall was opened overnight to give them a warm place to stay.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.
ORIGINAL STORIES BELOW:
TRAFFIC UPDATE: According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Main Street (KY 296) in Williamsburg is now OPEN.
ORIGINAL STORY:
WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — Fire crews are still on the scene of what was a large fire on Main Street in Williamsburg after flames broke out late Tuesday night.
According to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, several businesses and buildings are involved. Multiple fire departments from across the region responded, with an estimated 100 firefighters working through the night to contain the fire.
Officials say crews remain on scene this morning as they continue suppression efforts and assess damage.
At this time, it’s unclear if anyone was injured. The sheriff’s department says they are still working to gather that information.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says Main Street is closed because of the fire. No word on when it’s expected to reopen.
According to the Williamsburg City School’s Facebook page, “Williamsburg City School WILL be on a regular schedule today. Buses are expected to run at their regular times, but some students may be picked up by a different bus than usual. If students arrive late because of this tragic event, their tardiness will be excused.”
ABC36 has a crew headed to Williamsburg and will update this story as more details become available.
