Cicero firefighters found the front door blocked by heavy hoarding, so they forced entry through the garage, which was also packed with debris

By Darian Stevenson
syracuse.com

CICERO, N.Y. — One person died in a house fire in Cicero late last night.

Jim Perrin, the Cicero fire chief, said the work to rescue the victim and put out the fire was blocked by extensive hoarding throughout the house and garage.

Thomas Newton, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, confirmed one person died. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Jim Perrin, the Cicero fire chief. Authorities did not provide the name.

Fire crews responded to the house fire on Caughdenoy Road between Amor and Brewerton roads at 11:58 p.m., Perrin said.

When police officers arrived, they reported to dispatchers that fire was coming through the front door.

Perrin said the first effort to enter through the front door was blocked by extreme hoarding. Firefighters instead forced their way through the garage, which was also filled with debris and had no clear walkway, he said.

“It was just a buildup of everything,” he said. “Papers, boxes, old stuff, new stuff.”

Crews had difficulty navigating through the clutter but were able to extend a hose line into the kitchen, where they encountered heavy fire.

The fire was brought under control within 15 minutes, Perrin said. During the search, firefighters found the victim between the kitchen and dining room.

Perrin said the house was a total loss due to fire and smoke damage.

Crews also tried to check other parts of the house in the early response, but conditions inside made movement nearly impossible, the chief said.

“There was only a narrow path,” Perrin said. “Everything else was piled from floor to ceiling.”

Firefighters did not hear smoke alarms sounding upon arrival, Perrin said. Fire investigators are still working to learn whether the home was equipped with smoke detectors and what caused the fire.

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