Local citizen credited for rescuing woman in Sunday house fire in Morganfield

WMSK News has learned new information regarding a local woman who was rescued Sunday morning from a structure fire on McElroy Street in Morganfield.

I received a call from a gentleman Monday morning here at the station who told me he read my story about the house fire on WMSK’s Facebook page and that the information I reported was incorrect about who rescued the woman from the home. He proceeded to tell me Justin Woolridge was the first person on the scene and rescued the woman from the residence. I instructed him to call Morganfield Fire Chief Ricky Millikan who provided me the information.

Late Monday afternoon, I mentioned by conversation with the caller to Chief Millikan. He, like me, reports what he is told by officials on the scene. To make a long story short, Chief Millikan in return on Tuesday mentioned my telephone call to Detective Vos, who contacted me last night at home and said he was unaware at the time of the fire that Justin had pulled the woman from the home. He said the woman was apparently rescued twice because when he arrived on the scene she was back inside the home, apparently trying to rescue her animals. Wanting to set the record straight and give credit where credit is due, he provided me Justin’s telephone number so I could call him.

I talked to Mr. Woolridge this morning via telephone about his heroic action. He initially called 911 to report the fire and then went far beyond what most citizens would have done in that situation…

That’s when Mr. Woolridge went back inside the house…

As first reported by WMSK News, the firefighters from Morganfield Fire Department, along with Whispering Meadows and Union County Volunteer Fire Departments, the Morganfield Police Department and Union County EMS responded to the structure fire around 11:25 a.m. Sunday at 237 East McElroy Street where possibly victims were reportedly inside.

Fire Chief Ricky Millikan told WMSK News Sunday afternoon that the woman was rescued along with her 3 dogs and 6 cats. Unfortunately, two cats died in the fire.

According to Chief Millikan, the fire started on the stove in the kitchen and quickly spread throughout the room, but they were able to contain it to the kitchen.

Officials tell me the woman rescued by Woolridge is doing fine and now has an apartment in Morganfield.

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