NEWPORT, Ky. -- If it weren't for an alert store owner, a fire in a northern Kentucky may have turned tragic on Tuesday.
The man noticed the home across the street from his business was on fire so he ran over and alerted the residents around 10:20 a.m. Four people inside the Patterson Street home were sleeping and had no idea the building was on fire.
"We also had some neighbors on the street telling us there could be a resident trapped on the second floor who was hard of hearing so we intiated a search and rescue to make sure there was no one trapped on the second floor and there were none," said Captain Clayton James with the Newport Fire Department.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire quickly.
Officials believe the fire started in a shed attached to the home. The shed was destroyed by the fire. The home sustained minor damage.
A fire department captain says the residents were very lucky the store owner noticed the flames because he's not sure if smoke detectors in the home were working. He says this is a reminder for everyone to make sure they have working smoke detectors.
The fire remains under investigation.
