Cluttered Home Complicates Things For Piedmont Firefighters

By Evan Anderson, News 9

PIEDMONT, Oklahoma -- Firefighters all across Central Oklahoma battle a number of fires just hours apart from each other. Most were put out quickly, but near Piedmont, crews were faced with challenges both outside, and inside the burning home.

Oklahoma City firefighters say Saturday afternoon's fire was very difficult to put out, mainly because the homeowner had stacks of papers, and magazines throughout the home and in some places, all the way to the ceiling.

To make the situation worse, the home was in a rural area, where there was no water supply. Piedmont Fire Fighters were called in to assist.

"There was papers, and magazines, and bottles, and cans throughout the house," said OKC Battalion Chief, Steve Lumry.

12/29/2012 Related Story: Firefighters Put Out House Fire In Piedmont

The homeowner, an apparent hoarder, had firefighters working harder than normal to get the fire out. Right outside the home, About five cars were stuffed full of trash. Empty drink bottles, and trash bags also surrounded the cars.

"It's extremely difficult, It also makes it extremely dangerous, not only for the occupants if they were still inside, but also for our personnel to operate and try to get in there," Lumry said.

Lumry says there's always the chance those stacks of paper and magazines, which clogged the home, could have fallen on the homeowner, trapping him inside.

The nearest fire hydrant was in Piedmont, so firefighters had to shuttle water back and forth to continue trying to put the fire out.

"The house was well involved in the attic. They began defensive attack on that fire, to try and hold it down as much as they could until we got additional resources here," Lumry said.

Lumry says fortunately no one was in the home at the time of the fire. The cause is still under investigation.