Candle To Blame For Fire That Destroyed Sperry Home

NewsOn6.com & Ashli Sims, News On 6

SPERRY, Oklahoma -- The fire chief for the Turley Fire Department said a candle started a fire that destroyed a Sperry home Monday afternoon.

Firefighters from Sperry, Tulsa, Skiatook and Turley responded to the fire.

"On arrival the house was fully involved, the grass was burning, and moving at a pretty rapid rate," said Turley Fire Chief Keith Ross.

Ross said crews were wrestling with the wind, as much as they were battling the flames.

A woman inside the home at the time of the fire made it out safely.

"She believed the fire started with a candle and she had no way to call for help," Chief Ross said.

"The wind, once a window breaks or whatever. The wind is going to come in and blow the fire through the house and there's not a lot you can do," he said.

The property owner's son says the candle was part of some Christmas decorations.

"They're setting their festive displays with lots of candles and candles cause lots of problems that way," said Randy Diamond, with the American Red Cross.

Diamond said it's the kind of fire danger folks often overlook and one that can be absolutely devastating.

"It's often the simple little things that we just kind of forget about, because we've done it many times before and it's never been a problem," he said.  "Well one of these times, it's gonna be a problem for somebody."

Fire crews were able to contain the fire to keep it from spreading to nearby homes. But hot spots continued to flare throughout the evening. The home was a total loss.