OKC Firefighters Discover Homeless Living In Storm Drain

Oklahoma City Firefighters responding to smoke coming from a large storm drain near Reno Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard Tuesday morning encountered two people who were homeless. 

Battalion Chief and PIO, Benny Fulkerson said it’s something firefighters hadn’t run into before. But long-time Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance Director Dan Straughan said homeless people do whatever they have to do to find shelter, even if it’s very dangerous.

“On a night like we had last week when there was two and a half inches of rain, this creek will be six, eight feet deep and really roaring,” he said.  “And if you’re in a drainage culvert or the banks of this creek, you’re in danger.” 

Straughan said three years ago, a homeless man was swept away by floodwaters along a creek that runs parallel to Penn and Northwest 3rd Street.