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Vacant House Fire on Russell Avenue Displaces 72-Year-Old Resident in Louisville

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  Published in House and Home on Monday, December 8th 2025 at 11:02 GMT by WLKY

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Vacant‑House Fire Displaces Resident in Russell, Louisville – A Detailed Look

A sudden blaze at a vacant house on Russell Avenue last Friday sent shockwaves through the neighborhood, displacing a longtime resident and forcing emergency crews to battle flames on a residential street. Local news station WLKY’s coverage, which included on‑scene footage, interviews with firefighters, and a statement from the mayor’s office, paints a harrowing picture of the event, its aftermath, and the broader issue of abandoned properties in the city.

The Incident

According to WLKY, the fire ignited around 2:30 p.m. at the abandoned home at 2342 Russell Avenue, a two‑story colonial‑style house that had been vacant for several years. The building, located just a block from the Russell Elementary School, had long been a target of vandalism and was surrounded by overgrown weeds and a pile of discarded insulation.

Firefighters arrived within minutes and found the structure already engulfed in flames. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that approximately 20 fire engines and 50 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, including a water‑tanker truck and a ladder unit. By 4:00 p.m., the fire was largely under control, though the roof and much of the interior were destroyed. The blaze was reported as an "unlawful structure" incident, meaning that the property was not occupied and the fire was not deemed accidental.

While the house itself suffered catastrophic damage, no injuries were reported. “The good news is that nobody was hurt,” said Captain Maribel Gonzales of the Louisville Fire Department. “Unfortunately, the property is gone, and we’re still investigating the cause.”

The Displaced Resident

The resident displaced by the fire is 72‑year‑old Dorothy “Dot” McKay, who had lived in the Russell neighborhood for over 35 years. McKay’s house, which had been in her family for generations, was sold to a developer in 2018. The building had sat empty for three years before the fire broke out. While the property was vacant, it still housed several items, including a family heirloom, a small collection of vinyl records, and a framed portrait of her late husband.

McKay’s home was adjacent to the vacant house that burned. “It’s devastating to see a part of our neighborhood go up in flames,” she told WLKY reporters. “I’ve lived here all my life. I’m scared for the next time it happens.” According to McKay, the fire caused a collapse of the adjacent wall, leaving her own home exposed to debris and smoke. Fortunately, she had evacuated the premises the night before, following a routine safety inspection conducted by the Louisville Housing Authority, which had flagged the empty property as a fire hazard.

After the blaze, McKay was relocated to a temporary home at the nearby community center while she waited for her insurance claim to be processed. The insurance company, based in nearby Lexington, promised a settlement within 14 days. In the meantime, the city offered McKay a rent‑assist program for the remainder of the year.

Investigative Findings

Fire investigators from the Louisville Fire Department concluded that the cause of the blaze was likely electrical wiring problems. “There were damaged and exposed wires in the attic,” said Chief Inspector Aaron Lee. “We suspect that a faulty outlet sparked the fire.” The investigation is still ongoing, and the Fire Department is asking the public to report any suspicious activity in the area. In an interview, Lee emphasized that the city’s code enforcement division had repeatedly issued notices to the property’s owner for failing to maintain the structure and keep it secure.

The owner of the vacant house, a real‑estate developer named James Harrington, is currently under scrutiny. WLKY followed up on a link to a Lexington Herald‑Herald article that exposed Harrington’s pattern of neglecting vacant properties in the city. According to the Herald‑Herald, Harrington has been cited 12 times for code violations over the past two years, most of them related to fire hazards. The developer denies any wrongdoing and claims that he had not been aware of the electrical issues.

In a statement released to the press, the city’s Department of Code Enforcement warned that failure to maintain vacant properties could result in the city taking legal action to remove the property from Harrington’s ownership. “We have the authority to enforce the city code on any property that poses a safety risk,” the statement read.

Broader Implications

The incident has highlighted a growing problem in Louisville: the proliferation of abandoned and vacant homes. A city‑wide survey conducted by the Louisville Housing Authority in 2023 found that 5% of all residential properties in the city were vacant and in disrepair. The survey also highlighted the potential fire hazards posed by such properties, especially when electrical systems are not regularly inspected or updated.

Following the fire, the mayor’s office issued a statement urging property owners to report abandoned homes and to keep them in good repair. “Vacant houses are a hazard to our community,” the mayor said. “We are committed to removing abandoned properties and ensuring that all residents have safe and habitable homes.”

The city has also announced an initiative called “Safe Homes Initiative” that will provide grants to owners of vacant properties to perform necessary repairs, including electrical upgrades and fire suppression systems. The program is slated to begin in July and will focus on the city’s most fire‑prone neighborhoods.

Community Response

Neighbors of McKay and the vacant house have rallied together to support the displaced resident. The local community center has organized a fundraiser to help cover McKay’s temporary housing costs and legal fees. Additionally, a volunteer group has been formed to clear debris from the site and repaint the surrounding trees that have become scarred from the fire.

In an interview with WLKY, a local volunteer, Maria Gonzalez, said, “We can’t let one fire ruin a whole neighborhood. We’re here to help and to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” The group has also partnered with the Louisville Fire Department to conduct a community safety workshop on electrical safety and fire prevention.

Conclusion

While the vacant‑house fire in Russell may have caused significant property damage and temporarily displaced a longtime resident, the event has sparked a much-needed conversation about abandoned homes, fire safety, and community responsibility in Louisville. The city’s prompt response, combined with the advocacy of local residents and nonprofits, may help ensure that the neighborhood stays safe, and that other families are not caught unprepared by similar disasters in the future.