TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa family is mourning the loss of their three dogs plus their home after a house fire in March. They also want answers after they said the first responders didn't act fast enough.
Emotions ran hot overnight on March 15 as Joseph Pugh watched his house burn to the ground.
He said first responders didn't act as he expected. While the house burned, firefighters responded to other areas of the neighborhood rather than his home, which was consumed by the flames.
It was then, he said, that firefighters were slow to put water on the home or help get the dogs. However, according to the fire report, the house was 100% engulfed by the time fire crews arrived.
Pugh said he lost everything in the fire.
He still wanted to understand why firefighters paid attention to other areas of the neighborhood rather than his home.
"They just kind of walked around. They weren’t hustling like I see firemen hustle," said Pugh.
Pugh said he watched hopelessly as the home where his dogs were crumbled before him.
After talking with Pugh, 2 News took his questions to Sand Springs' Fire Chief Jeremy Wade-Sims.
Wade-Sims said an active power line melted in the heat, making the situation more dangerous for first responders.
"When you squirt water, water conducts electricity, so when you have an active power line dancing around, sometimes you can't spray water," said Wade-Sims.
He said his team focused on the things that could be saved, like neighboring homes. The home next to Pugh's has some siding that looks to have melted in the heat. But first responders watered it down, hoping it wouldn't spread.
"If you were to look at that house, there was an additional house next door, and we had to start putting water on that, we kind of went into more of a defensive mode," said Wade-Sims.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Wade-Sims said if anyone knows what may have happened, they can contact the Fire Marshall.
However, four months after the fire, Pugh is still dealing with the loss of cherished mementos.
"I had two of my godparent's ashes here. I had my dad's ashes here and I had my brother's ashes here," said Pugh.
While he hopes to understand more about what happened, Wade-Sims said it can be difficult to establish a clear cause in situations like this.
In the meantime, Pugh said he is searching through this rubble to find anything that may be salvageable.
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