Magistrate's home destroyed in Friday morning fire
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
GLASGOW, Ky. — The home of Barren County Magistrate Jeff Botts was destroyed in a fire Friday morning.
The East Barren Fire Department responded to the blaze, with assistance from the Temple Hill, Hiseville and Glasgow fire departments. The Summer Shade Fire Department also provided a tanker truck, according to East Barren Fire Chief Gala Huddleston.
Smoke could be seen for miles, and the smell of the burning home lingered in the air for hours after the fire started around 10 a.m. Smoke continued to billow through Saturday evening.
Firefighters from multiple departments battle a blaze that destroyed Barren County Magistrate Jeff Botts’ home, where one firefighter was injured. The blaze ignited sometime during the morning hours of Friday, April 10, 2026. Photos by Brennan Crain.
Huddleston said one firefighter was injured while battling the fire. A family member identified him as Chase Dile. He was airlifted from Glasgow to an out-of-town hospital.
Botts represents Barren County’s 1st Magisterial District, which includes much of Glasgow’s east side and nearby areas of the county.
In a text message, Botts said the state fire marshal's office was on site Friday.
“Nobody knows anything right now,” Botts said. “Still no conclusion of what happened for sure or where it started.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A fire investigator is expected to return to the site Monday for further investigation.
