MT WASHINGTON, Ky. — A Mt. Washington home is a shell of what it was after a truck engulfed in flames crashed into the home's back deck Thursday morning, causing the entire home to go up in flames.
Mt. Washington Fire Chief Michael Dooley said firefighters responded within three minutes after they got a call around 6:30 a.m.
Dooley described the home on Wood Rock Ct. as a "total loss." Neighbors said the family had lived there less than six months.
"I heard really kind of a large crash sound and thought maybe there was a car wreck or maybe there was construction equipment being dropped off," neighbor Marc Mullins said. "By the time I literally got my shoes on to run outside the whole deck and up to the roof was engulfed in flames."
Neighbors said two teenage girls were on their way to school when their truck unexpectedly caught fire. Dooley said they were unable to put the truck in park, and jumped out. The truck then rolled right into the back of the home.
"It's that perfect storm of everything that could go wrong, could go wrong," Mullins said.
Dooley said despite the quick response time by both Mt. Washington and Shepherdsville fire crews, there was already no quick way to stop the flames.
While the family made it out of the home safely, and none one was injured, one of the family's dogs was still inside.
"We originally thought everybody was out and then as we went to check the basement somebody mentioned there was report of a dog still inside the house," Mt. Washington firefighter Charles Perkins said.
Perkins said Shepherdsville firefighter Steve Rock found the dog in a kennel in the basement.
"It was a six-inch dog found in 4 inches of water," Perkins said. "I was surprised when he came walking up the steps with it because the condition of the house and the amount of water that was in the house it was kind of surprising that he was coming out of the house with a dog that was alive."
Perkins, along with another firefighter, administered oxygen to the dog. The family then took it to the vet.
"The neighborhood really just started to figure out that they wanted to do something more than just give a blanket," Mullins said.
Describing the area as a "tight-knit" community, Mullins said the neighborhood decided to pitch into a GoFundMe account to help the family get by.
"Knowing that the dog was going to have a pretty expensive veterinarian bill and obviously they're going to have to replace all of their basic necessities," Mullins said. "In less than a business day, we've gotten about $1,500 or so. That's been turned over to the family."
"I'm just reminded again, you know, slow down for a minute and get to know your neighbors. You never know when you're going to need them," Mullins said.
Mullins said the community has also shown compassion towards the driver of the pick-up truck since the crash.
"I'm thankful that, as the reality of this freak accident has come to light, that people have really showed compassion to the driver and her family because they need it as well," he said.
To help the family, visit the GoFundMe page.
►Contact reporter Tyler Emery at temery@WHAS11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TylerWHAS11) and Facebook.
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