Firefighters Rescue Disabled Claremore Man From Burning Home

Fast action by firefighters helped a man get out of his burning home safely. It happened just north of Claremore on County Road 460 East of Route 66.

Investigators said a number of details about the fire are things all of us should keep in mind.

Claremore Fire Marshal, Jason Crandall, is finishing up the investigation of the house fire that could have been deadly, but thanks to firefighters, it wasn't.

"They made a good save, a good rescue," Crandall said.

The house caught fire overnight in the living room, leaving a bedroom window as the only way out.

After calling for help, a woman made it through the window, but investigators said her husband, who is disabled, couldn't.

Firefighters got him out safely before putting out the flames. They also got a couple of dogs out of the home.

"The walls, the joists, the roof assembly, floor and all that is pretty well intact, it's a loss of contents," Crandall said.

He said an old and overused extension cord is to blame.

"That cord was used for both indoors and outdoors. It had been outdoors and the door closed on it, pinched it. People walking over it, possibly chairs rolling over it and stuff, the cord was probably frayed and in bad shape," he said.

With the holiday season almost here, investigators said it's important for everyone who plans to put up Christmas lights to double check extension cords to make sure they aren't damaged and don't pose a fire hazard.

"If they're cut, frayed, abrasions, flat sections, yeah, go get a new one," Crandall said.

Another factor was clutter in the home, including boxes set up as a makeshift end table.

One thing that worked in the couple's favor was they were sleeping in the bedroom with the door closed, which can slow down the spread of heat, smoke and poisonous fumes.

"That's a big fire prevention and fire safety skill that we try to teach, even at grade schools when we're out and about and talk to people," said Crandall.

Investigators didn't find a smoke detector and said one of the people in the house woke up in the middle of the night and smelled smoke.