By William A Weathers
Enquirer staff writer

LUDLOW - A fire destroyed three houses late Monday night in the 300 block of Poplar Street.

Paul Miller (right), of Ludlow, and his grandson, Jordan, 12, watch as firefighters work on a three-house fire on Poplar Street late Monday night. (Enquirer photo/STEVEN M. HERPPICH)

Neighbors said two of the houses were vacant. Occupants of the other house escaped safely.

Ludlow Fire Chief Terry Bandy said the call came in at 10:16 p.m., and that when firefighters arrived all three buildings were engulfed in flames.

He said 50 to 60 firefighters battled the blaze. In addition to Ludlow firefighters, units from Bromley, Park Hills, Fort Wright and Fort Mitchell responded.

The fire destroyed houses at 312, 314 and 316 Poplar. At one point, electrical wires fell on one of the fire trucks, Bandy said.

Wayne Yates, 33, who lives next door to one of the burned buildings, said the occupied house at 314 Poplar had been divided into apartments. He said the fire started in that house and spread to the vacant houses on either side..

"It was totally gone in five minutes," Yates said.

Two firefighters were taken to the hospital, one with a shoulder injury, another with a hand injury.

Neighbor Ken Aynes, 45, said, "There were some kids in the back of the house when it started. Everybody started screaming."

He said several neighbors tried unsuccessfully to put out the flames with garden hoses until firefighters arrived.