Four Families Displaced After Apartment Fire in Mt. Washington Kills Dog

A residential fire in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, displaced four families on the night of Thursday, November 12, 2026.

The incident began when Eli Hudson noticed an absence while walking to his car. Hudson said he looked toward his apartment window, where his dog, Azul, usually watched him through the curtains. The window appeared dark, and he could not see inside. "I look up and everything was real dark,“ Hudson said. "Couldn’t really see inside. So I was like, ‘I think my house is on fire.’"

Upon seeing flames and smoke, Hudson ran back into the apartment. "Just, without a thought, ran inside, and crawled, and tried find my dog,“ he said. Azul did not survive the fire. Hudson noted that he helped neighbors escape safely by banging on their doors, and no people were injured in the event.

The landlord attributed the start of the fire to an electrical issue with an outlet. The Mount Washington Fire Department stated that the official cause remains under investigation.

Hudson is currently staying with a friend while he determines his next steps. He returned to the building to assess the damage and check for salvageable items. During that visit, he identified one area of the apartment that appeared untouched by the flames. "The spot where they found them is, it’s perfectly clean,“ Hudson said. "Just got a little ring around where he was."

The four affected families are now accepting donations to aid in their recovery. Hudson has received more than 200 messages from friends, family members, and strangers offering assistance.