Man Killed In Northwest OKC House Fire, Firefighters Say

A house fire claimed the life of a man in the 15700 block of Sharon Lane in far northwest Oklahoma City on Saturday.

A man noticed an unusual amount of black smoke coming from his neighbors' chimney, so he called the home to let them know that he thought their home was on fire, crews said. An adult female was awakened by the phone call, and she was able to escape the home, according to authorities.

The woman's husband stayed behind to attempt to extinguish the fire, but he was unable to escape the home, firefighters said. No smoke alarms activated in the home according to the homeowner who survived.

Firefighters said they aggressively battled the blaze and initiated a search. The victim was found deceased in the living room near a fireplace, officials said. A pet was also found deceased, firefighters said.

According to authorities, the home sustained heavy fire damage in the living, entry, dining and kitchen areas. With no fire hydrants in the area, firefighters said they utilized a common practice of shuttling water by tanker to battle the blaze.

Tankers from Piedmont and Richland Fire Departments assisted, crews said.

Fire investigators said they have classified the cause of the fire as undetermined. The home and contents were valued at $456,149 combined with an estimated combined loss of $175,000, officials said.