At least eight families including a Subedi family from Bhutan were displaced when a fire broke out in their apartment complex at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The Subedi family resettled in Louisville, Kentucky from Goldhap camp was living in Willowbrook apartment in Bardstown forest area.
Hari Subedi, head of the family was out for work, and his wife and the eldest son Mitra were off to family health center in Americana when the fire engulfed their apartment midday, it is learnt.
One of the daughters of Hari Subedi was the only one at home when a neighbor living downstairs knocked her door to inform about the fire. She just ran out in a panic without any care to save the valuables from being destroyed.
Four fire extinguisher trucks arrived in the scene instantly and a chopper hovering above monitored the inferno.
The fire broke out due to the short circuit on the outside component of heating-cooling system, according to the residents.
A resident heard a noise of small scale explosion and saw fire inside the apartment. While most of the ceiling and roof were burnt, much of the inside was not seen affected.
The residents have not been allowed to enter the scene and grab few remains of their valuables. The police and the fire department did a watchdog of the scene throughout Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, the Subedi family is worried about the possible loss or further damage of some precious items including some cash.
“We are told not to make any attempt to enter the charred remains of the apartment, and it might take a week to clear everything as per the police”, Hari Subedi told BNS, still worrying about the loss.
Tika Adhikari, a relative to the family and also a case worker with Catholic Charities said, “I shall look for a two-bedroom apartment for the family, while the agency will help to get the furnitures, beds and clothing for the family.”
Reported by Buddha Mani Dhakal for BNS from KY
