YFD: Firefighters face ‘hoarder-type conditions’ in house fire

Firefighters faced ‘hoarder-type conditions’ as they battled a house fire reported in the 4400 block of West 14th Place Saturday morning, fire officials said.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) said shortly before noon, personnel found heavy smoke coming from the attic and flames coming from the rear of 4471 West 14th Place. As they began to fight the fire, firefighters discovered the home was filled with an extreme amount of personal property and debris. Fire officials said the conditions caused the fire to be very difficult and dangerous to extinguish.

Firefighters cut open the garage door to reveal floor to ceiling boxes stacked in that area too. Due to the home’s extreme amount of combustible materials, it took about two hours to extinguish the fire. Firefighters contained the fire to the original structure and keep it from spreading to homes nearby. The home and contents sustained significant damage, the fire department said.

Fire officials determined that the fire was accidental and cooking-related.

The only resident evacuated the home without injury, YFD said. The American Red Cross was called to assist the elderly resident.