WASHINGTON — A review of state fire records revealed that about a dozen fatal fires in the D.C.-area since 2013 are linked to hoarding.
NBC Washington reported that the fires underscore the increasing risk to homeowners and firefighters from excessive storage or clutter.
Maryland’s state fire marshal said hoarding has contributed to at least three fatal fires in the Baltimore area. In one blaze, a firefighter was killed. Prince George’s County firefighters are now training recruits about the hazards of combatting fires in cluttered homes.
“Think of yourself in a sand pit and every time you try to move more of that sand, it just sloshes around you,” Fire Chief Marc Bashoor said. “Every time you try to move something out of the way to get your next foot forward, something else falls down on top of you.”
The average time needed to access a victim in a hoarder’s home is one hour and 20 minutes, according to the report. The typical average is approximately five minutes.
Montgomery County formed a task force in 2011 to assist families with a hoarding problem. The task force continues to offer services.