Three House Fires Break Out In Tulsa

Several house fires sparked overnight in Tulsa. Firefighters responded to calls at three different homes starting around 1 a.m. Sunday.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire in the 400 block of South 40th where a home was destroyed and two others damaged.

Firefighters came to the house at about 3 a.m. They say during that blaze a natural gas line exploded, and they weren't able to shut it off.
Two nearby homes were also damaged.

"It rattled the windows and shook the house real bad," said neighbor Mike Simpson. He said the house was just a ball of flames and firefighters tried hard to have the two houses on either side.

No one was in the home at the time of the fire. Neighbors say the owner was out camping for the weekend.

"I don't know if anyone could have survived a blast like that was," Simpson said. "It blew the stuff clear across the street."

The cause is undetermined, according to Tulsa Fire Captain Stan May.

Fire broke out at a home in the 4000 block of 29th West Avenue around 4 a.m. Firefighters say the residents were able to make it out but that the home is partially destroyed.

They say a dog died in the home. Crews are set up to keep an eye on this home as it has rekindled once later in the day.

An abandoned home also went up in flames in the 100 block of North Birmingham. Firefighters say they had a hard time fighting the fire because the windows and doors were boarded up.

A firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion at the scene. That fire took place around 1 a.m. 

May said that fire was caused by arson.