Batesville native loses nearly everything in Ohio condo fire

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(LOVELAND, OH.) – A Batesville native and her two pets are lucky to be alive after a fire at a Loveland condominium building last week. 

Felicia Bedel is one of 35 tenants displaced after the fire broke out in the early morning hours of August 21. 

Firefighters say it was started by another tenant who was using a fingernail burn tool for a TikTok video. 

“I remember waking up, my heart was racing and something didn’t feel right. I opened my door and saw the smoke and the fire,” Bedel told The 812. 

Bedel and her spouse lived in a second story condo and initially went to their patio but were unable to exit the building. 

Moments later firefighters rushed in and helped escort Bedel, the spouse and one of her two cats safely out of the building.

“I could only grab one of my cats as the other went into hiding when he rushed out. I couldn’t sleep at all that night worried sick if my cat was okay,” she said. 

Felicia came back to the condo the next day where firefighters were still putting out hotspots. 

She asked one firefighter if they could go back into the structure and search for her other cat.

Fortunately, the cat was found safe and alive, despite being trapped in the building for 13 hours. Watch the moment she was reunited with the pet:

The building has been deemed a total loss and condemned.

“The insurance company says it is one of the worst fires they’ve ever seen a claim for,” Bedel said. 

She hasn’t been able to salvage anything from the fire expect the clothes she had on that night. 

She is now living in temporary housing in our area and taking the first steps to get her life back on track. 

Her friend established a Go Fund Me account for Bedel and there is also an Amazon List that has been created too.

Felicia says she is not in need of clothing donations anymore due to support she’s already received. 

“So many people have dropped off clothes, and some of them do not fit me, so I’m taking them back to the other tenants this week to give to them,” she said. 

While it was another tenant that upended her life unexpectedly, Bedel is thinking about them as well. 

“I feel just as bad for them as I do myself, I can’t believe what they have to be feeling right now,” Bedel added. 

Here are a few photos from the aftermath of the fire: