Two Firefighters Injured, Five Animals Killed In Tulsa House Fire

Two firefighters were hurt and five animals died in a house fire in west Tulsa Tuesday afternoon.

One firefighter suffered steam burns, another, dehydration; both went to the hospital and are expected to be OK.

Firefighters said the wind gusts made the flames especially hard to fight; and neighbors in the 3100 block of West Easton said they could feel the heat from their homes.

"Just nothing but black smoke,” described neighbor Deborah Schler. “You couldn't even see nothing."

Firefighters walked in and out of the black smoke, trying to save the five dogs inside, but it was too late.

Chief Greta Hurt said the wind helped the fire spread too quickly.

"The fire was in the back of the house, so probably some windows failed due to the fire, and once the wind hit it, it quickly forced the fire towards the front where my fire crews were at," she said.

Authorities sent two firefighters to the hospital.

Next door neighbors said all they could do was watch and try to protect their own home.

William Schler said, "I run around to the side of the house and my brother’s standing on the back of the truck spraying the hose on the fire. Man, 30-foot flames just shootin' out the back door. It was scary."

Everyone inside the home escaped without getting hurt. They cried as firefighters brought out their pets' bodies.

"She was very tore up, she lost all of her animals. Some of them were just puppies, and one dog was pregnant," Deborah Schler said.

William Schler said, "It was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I really hope I never have to see it again."

Authorities said the people living there called 911 and told dispatch children might have set the house on fire.

That has not been confirmed.