Kemplin said Middletown firefighters knocked on the door of her home to get her and her daughter, fiance and dog out of the house because it was so close to the house that was on fire. She said firefighters also made sure an elderly neighbor who lived in the other adjacent house got out safely.
Deborah Dukes, who lives two doors down from where the house caught fire, said her daughter India Dukes lived in that house and that she and her two children “lost everything.”
“It makes me sad,” she said. “My daughter is going to have to move. They lost everything they received on Christmas.”
India Dukes said she and her mother had left about 11 p.m. to go to the Miami Valley Gaming casino after celebrating her brother Byron’s birthday. Byron Dukes lives across the street from his mother.
India Dukes said her 14-year-old daughter called her at 12:18 a.m. and said their home was on fire. She said her daughter and son saw the fire that was in the back living room of the house. Both teenagers and pets left the house and went to stay with other family members.
“We just got there after the birthday party for Byron,” she said.
Middletown firefighters arrived at 12:22 a.m. and received mutual aid from Monroe and Madison Twp. firefighters and JEMS medics.
The fire very quickly continued to develop due to it being a wind driven fire but was contained to that structure, according to the fire report.
The house was heavily damaged as losses were estimated at $27,240 for the single-floor structure and another $5,000 in content losses. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined as firefighters continue their investigation.
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