Man knocks on, kicks in doors to save residents from apartment fire
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Several people are displaced after a third alarm fire roared through a Northwest Oklahoma City apartment complex. One man said he saw the flames, ran over and started working to get people out.
"I called the fire department and started kicking doors in and banging on doors and everybody ran out," said Ethan Holloway.
Holloway was at the right place at the right time, near Wilshire and Lyrewood Lane, just before 3:00am on Wednesday. He said he just happened to be in town visiting a friend nearby.
"Drinking a few and saw a fire," said Holloway.
Holloway said he ran over and got to work getting people out, even if that meant kicking in a few doors.
"'If you feel violated I'm sorry but get out. There's a fire!' You know? Like, 'I'm sorry.' "Like, 'Who are you?' 'I'm nobody but there's a fire, get out of the apartment!'" he said.
Holloway saved people and their pets.
"I think that one lady left three cats in there. I got the cats out," said Holloway. "Hey man, that cat was mean. Okay, that was a mean cat. But, I got baby out of the apartment."
Oklahoma City firefighters faced obstacles before battling the blaze, like numerous gates and tight spaces.
"Flames were coming out and they were actually higher than the building. So we got a quick knock down on that got water on it in a hurry," said Batt. Chief Jeff Chappell with the OKC Fire Department.
Adding to their challenges, the fire spread through the apartment's HVAC system and pipe chases, where all the units run.
"That's a big hollow area, you can imagine that runs from the first floor to the second floor. And so when that happened, the fire spread to all those units upstairs and downstairs," said Chappell.
Plus, firefighters said because of the roof style, the flames also spread throughout the apartment complex from the outside.
"We had to transition and pull everybody out, knock down the fire on the roof using our ladders, and then go back in finish fighting the fires from the inside," said Chappell. "We had a heck of a fight on our hands."
Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. Holloway likely played a large part in that.
"I don't think I'm a hero. I think anybody would do it," said Holloway. "You could do it, she could do it, anybody else could do it. Got to be a man about it."
One person had a minor burn on their foot but were quickly taken care of on scene.
The fire has since been traced back to a power strip in a child's bedroom, but the exact cause is unknown.
Firefighters said the fire caused about $255,000 in damages.