A man was killed in a house fire in Maryland Friday night. Stacks and piles of papers and books in the home prevented firefighters from responding to the man quickly. News4’s Aimee Cho spoke to a psychologist who explains how people can get help for hoarding.
A man was killed Friday morning when his home caught fire, causing the floor to collapse into the basement where he was sleeping.
Fire officials say "excessive storage conditions" were found inside, and they may have contributed to the blaze.
Firefighters were called to the victim's home on the 1900 block of Callaway Street in Hillcrest Heights just after 2 a.m. When they arrived, they saw fire coming from the basement.
The fire caused the first floor of the home to collapse into the basement, where the victim's body was eventually found. The victim has not been identified.
Fire officials would not use the term "hoarding" because of its negative connotation, but a battalion chief on the scene reported seeing 3-foot tall piles of books and papers stacked throughout the home.
Neighbors say the victim lived alone and kept to himself.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
