Community rallies to help after Northern Kentucky family loses everything in fire
By Rachel Whelan
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UNION, Ky. (WLWT) — A Northern Kentucky family is safe tonight after a fast-moving house fire destroyed everything they own just days before the holiday season.
Relatives say the Caudill family’s Sycamore Drive home went up in flames around 2 a.m. on Nov. 16. According to Nicole Harkenreader, the homeowner’s sister, the fire may have started from faulty wiring connected to a fish tank in the middle of the home. She said the smoke alarms never went off.
Harkenreader said her brother-in-law, Marine veteran Mike Caudill, woke up the moment he smelled smoke — a reaction she believes stems from PTSD from his service in Iraq.
“He smelled the smoke and woke up and immediately went into action,” she said.
In a matter of minutes, Mike rushed to get their youngest son out of the home. Their oldest, 15-year-old Zander, fought through thick smoke to escape. And their 9-year-old jumped out of a window, where Mike caught him below.
“If the family had not practiced fire escape methods, people would not have survived,” Harkenreader said.
The family ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911. Moments later, Harkenreader said, “The whole house just went woosh.”
Zander spent four days in the hospital with burns and lung injuries. Crystal, the boys’ mother, was released just two days ago with significant burns to her arm and a scratchy voice from smoke inhalation.
In addition to losing their home, the family also lost nearly all of their pets — including five dogs and two rabbits. They’re holding onto hope that two dogs, a brown and white Pomeranian named Hades and a golden lab named Aria, may have escaped the flames and are still out there.
Despite the devastation, the Union community has stepped forward in a big way.
Harkenreader said she expected “maybe one or two bags of dirty, ripped up clothing.” Instead, donations have poured in from all over Northern Kentucky. A GoFundMe launched for the family has already surpassed $10,000.
“Their end goal is, because the community has been so great and they’ve been warmed by it, once they’re settled and everything’s good, they’re hoping to start a foundation to help other people in need,” Harkenreader said.
How to help The family is asking for non-perishable food items and clothing donations to be dropped off at Gary Williams Martial Arts on Dixie Highway. They plan to share any extra items they don’t need with other fire victims.
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