Photographed by: Jeremy Glover, Phil Dreschler, Mike Mattingly, Mark Slaughter
The multi-million dollar Indian Hill home which burned Wednesday night was historic, and the flames moved quickly according to it's owner.
Despite the devastating damage to his property Wednesday night, the historic home's owner talked to 9News about what he experienced inside as the flames began to build.
He tells us the fire was fast – and intense – and quickly ripped through a home valued at more than $5 million.
Jim Jaeger didn't have to be told how extensive the damage was to his estate. One look at it said it all.
"I bought it 23-24 years ago," said Jaeger. "We spent two-and-a-half years renovating it, and there was a lot of stuff in there."
"But it's just stuff," Jaeger said. "I just don't know where I am going to be staying for a while."
It was during an evening dinner with his wife Nancy that a heat alarm went off inside their home.
"I looked at the panel, and it said this was a fire on the third floor attic, when I ran upstairs," said Jaeger.
When he got there, he quickly found there was nothing he could do.
"It took 5-10 seconds, the room that had no smoke in it, was completely full of smoke," Jaeger said.
At that point he and his wife fled the flames. Moments later, firefighters would also be turned back.
"It was a big "flllloooooowsh." I don't want to call it an explosion, but it blew out the windows from the house," said Jaeger, "and that is when the guys [firefighters] were injured."
As those injured firefighters were being treated and others were working to put out the flames – the historical significance of the home – could for the first time, be thought of.
The property, built in 1928, belonged to the supermarket mogul Kroger family for decades.
"It's kind of a jewel, not only has it been here for so long, but when you look at the history of the family, Kroger is an anchor in our community," said Jaeger's neighbor, Tom Ackerman.
Jaeger is the former president of a company by the name of Cincinnati Microwave.
They produced components that are widely used in the production of radar detectors for cars.
Jaeger tell 9News that the only thing he feels he truly lost was a family cat.
Despite the large amount of water used on the fire, and the relentless flames, 9News was told the house is not a totally loss.
Firefighters were able to salvage a chest of drawers and family pictures from inside at the request of the family.
9News was also told that many items on the first and second floor will likely be able to be salvaged.
