A 12-year-old boy died in a house fire near Somerset early Wednesday. The early morning fatal fire occurred in the community of Science Hill. No cause has been determined. The Commonwealth Journal quotes Fire Chief Josh Whitis as being told the youngster went back inside the burning structure to try to rescue a pet.
Lexington Fire Department Lieutenant Jessica Bowman admits emergencies can result in quick, but not always the best, decisions. She said rescues should be left up to those with emergency training. “Get out safely and call 9-1-1 and when the fire department arrives on scene, tell them who is home, where they are. If I have a child, in a bedroom, who’s bedroom is on the second floor on the back side. We have the equipment, we have the training to get in safely and to rescue whoever is in the home,” noted Bowman.
Bowman says it’s very important for families to practice fire evacuations. In Lexington, there were seven fire fatalities during 2017. In 2018, there were four fire deaths in the Lexington community.
