Fire destroys Jessamine Co. family's home Christmas morning

A massive house fire in Wilmore left a family of four without a home Christmas morning.

It happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday at 200 Grows Mill Road.

The fire chief said the father woke to the smell of smoke around 3 a.m. He went downstairs to see smoke filling the living room around the fireplace.

"So he ran back upstairs, got his kids out and got his wife out then called the fire department," said Jessamine County Fire Chief Michael Rupard.

Firefighters said everyone made it out of the home safely, but a few pets were unaccounted for.

Officials don't know what caused the fire but think something near the stove or fireplace could have started it. They said fires on Christmas Eve and Christmas day are more common than many may think.

"One of the biggest issues we have is when they start unwrapping their presents... getting too much paper close to the fireplace. Just keep in mind if you do have wood-burning stoves or heaters or something, keep the paper and stuff away from it," Rupard said.

The home is a loss. The Red Cross was notified so they can help the family find a place to stay.