BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — A morning fire destroyed 12 apartments and displaced 48 residents, including the son of Western Kentucky University's president.

        Several university students were credited with alerting others about the fire. At least a couple of residents were forced to jump from the second floor of The Gables apartments to reach safety.

        Raquel Castillo, 20, a junior at Western, said she was awakened by her roommate screaming. Ms. Castillo said that when she opened the front door, the entire balcony was engulfed in flames.

        Eight fire engines and 30 firefighters were dispatched shortly after 3 a.m. CDT Saturday to battle the blaze.

        The cause of the fire has not been determined. The fire caused an estimated $300,000 of damage.

        Ryan Conover, 21, a WKU junior, was credited with saving several residents, including Matthew Wilhite, a Western senior.

        “If Ryan hadn't come to their door, there is no way they could have got out,” said Mr. Wilhite's mother, Allison Wilhite. “When he heard the knock, he looked at his window and he could see the flames coming up through his window. When they left the room, they left with nothing; they had a pair of shorts on and that's it. They had to run through the flames.”

        Mr. Conover credited Luis Rodriguez, 22, a Western senior, with saving several people. He said he saw Mr. Rodriguez throw his keys through the window of one apartment to alert two students.

        “They had to jump from the second floor after he woke them up,” Mr. Conover said.

        Mr. Rodriguez and Ryan Bicondoa, another WKU senior, also woke up Patrick Ransdell and his roommate, Jerry Cecil. Mr. Ransdell is the son of Western President Gary Ransdell.

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