Tulsa Family Escapes From Burning House

Dee Duren, NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa family was fortunate to escape a Sunday morning house fire despite not having smoke detectors in the home.

Family members awoke and escaped the house as it was filling with smoke, according to Tulsa Fire Chief Bennie Harring.

"When they finally smelled the smoke or whatever woke these people up, the smoke was banked down pretty low," he said.

"They had to crawl out from under it. They stayed low, and they got out."

When firefighters arrived at the 1300 block of North Trenton at about 8 a.m., heavy flames were shooting out of the front of the house.

Crews entered the house from the back and made two searches to make sure everyone escaped. There were no injuries.

"I would advise anybody: they need smoke detectors," Chief Harring said.

The Tulsa Fire Department will install smoke detectors free of charge. They will also help residents with batteries or anything else that keeps detectors from working, he said.

The Tulsa Area Red Cross is providing the family of three with food, clothing and shelter, according to Donita Quesnel, spokes person.

Fire investigators were on scene Sunday morning. The cause of the fire had not been determined.