Fort Worth house fire leaves one dead, one critically injured, after hoarding conditions trap residents
Fort Worth fire leaves one dead, firefighters hospitalized
One man died, one girl was sent to the hospital, and two firefighters are recovering after a fire broke out at a house in Fort Worth overnight. FOX 4's Dionne Anglin has more.
FORT WORTH, Texas - A house fire early Thursday morning left one man dead, a woman critically injured, and sent two firefighters to the hospital after packed belongings inside the home created a high-heat maze that severely hampered rescue efforts.
Deadly Fort Worth fire
What we know:
Firefighters responded to the single-story frame house at 3513 Ave. J at 2:45 a.m., encountering heavy flames coming from the structure. Crews pushing into the interior immediately faced severe obstructions caused by what officials described as severe hoarding conditions.
"It was what we call a hoarder home — a lot of stuff stacked up, just stuff people collect over the years," said Craig Trojacek, public information officer for the Fort Worth Fire Department. "In high heat and flames looking for somebody, running into barriers every turn... our crews did an amazing job in those conditions to locate those individuals and get them outside."
Despite the heavily obstructed pathways and intense thermal conditions, firefighters managed to find a man and a woman trapped inside the home. Both victims were in critical condition.
Paramedics performed life-saving measures on the male victim at the scene, but he was ultimately pronounced deceased. He was later identified as 37-year-old Jamie Martinez.
The woman was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment, authorities said.
The excessive amount of combustible materials inside the house intensified the fire's severity and elevated risks for the responding personnel.
"The more stuff that's in there, the higher the heat, and the more stuff we're having to push through," Trojacek said. "None of these jobs are ever easy, but in situations like these, there are challenges. There is an opportunity for more possibilities for injuries — not to the homeowners, but to the firefighters as well."
Two firefighters sustained heat-related injuries while battling the blaze and conducting the rescue operation. Both were taken to an area hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.
Fort Worth Fire: 1 Dead, 2 Firefighters Hurt in Hoarder Home
A house fire early Thursday morning left one man dead, a woman critically injured, and sent two firefighters to the hospital after packed belongings inside the home created a high-heat maze that severely hampered rescue efforts.
What we don't know:
Arson investigators were deployed to the scene and are currently working to determine the origin and cause of the fatal fire.
What they're saying:
"I saw the fire, I said, ‘My house is on fire.’ My son, my son, my baby. My granddaughter is in there too."
Rosita Brice
Rosita Brice tells FOX 4 her son was the man that died in the blaze. Her granddaughter was the woman transported to a hospital via airlift.
"My friends helped me with the water hose, but the water hose was not enough. The fire was already big," Brice said.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Fort Worth Fire Department.