Complusive Hoarding - The Fire Safety Hazards of Too Much Clutter

Clutter can seem like it could take over our lives at times. At work, our desk becomes filled with unfiled papers. Attics become cluttered with boxes. Laundry begins to pile up at home. These may be the result of a busy schedule, but how does clutter turn into extreme hoarding for some? What are the fire safety hazards to Tulsa and Oklahoma City residents if extreme hoarding happens?

The American Psychiatric Association (APA)’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recently recognized hoarding as an official disorder all of its own. According to a NBC News Health report, “at least 4 million people in the U.S. would meet full criteria for hoarding . . .” Unlike collecting, hoarders save random items like newspapers, appliances, and junk mail that they have “persistent difficulty getting rid of or parting with,” APA noted, “leading to clutter that disrupts their ability to use their living or work spaces.”

Because hoarders accumulate so many possessions that congest living or work areas to the point that they can no longer be used or lived in, this condition brings a host of fire safety risks. “Many fire departments are experiencing serious fires, injuries, and death as a result of compulsive hoarding behavior,” the NFPA reported. In 2011, a California couple died in a house fire that officials had tried to get cleaned up for many years, the New York Times reported. Many other cases like this are prevalent, causing cities to organize task forces of fire responders, social psychologists, and building inspectors to help residents identity and find a solution to their hoarding problem.

Compulsive hoarding presents a serious fire hazard because exits like windows, hallways, and doors blocked by clutter prevent the residents from escaping and prevent firefighters from finding the resident in a fire. Many hoarders are also injured tripping over items trying to escape or when mounds of possessions fall on them, and they become trapped under the debris.

Neighbors can also be severely affected by a compulsive hoarder’s environment in the event of a fire. Hoarding creates perfect conditions for explosive house fires, the New York Times reported, as well as infestations of vermin that spread disease. The NFPA told the story of a Toronto high-rise apartment fire that was started when a cigarette dropped onto a balcony packed with items. The one-bedroom apartment was also stuffed with items to where firefighters had to battle against the apartment’s contents to get in and extinguish the fire. Three firefighters and 14 residents were injured and all of the complex’s residents were rendered temporarily homeless due to the extensive fire damage to the building.

There is also a risk of structural damage due to the weight of hoarded items. This excessive amount of items adds easy fuel for a fire, making it difficult to suppress a fire, and an increased risk of a fire being ignited. All of this makes the fire situation more dangerous not only for the resident but also for those trying to help. As the NFPA noted, “Responding firefighters can be put at risk due to obstructed exits, falling objects, and excessive fire loading that can lead to collapse.”

Hoarders also have an increased risk of fire when their compulsion begins to interfere with their daily life. Because of intense clutter, they may lose utility bills, a New York Times article noted, and then electricity gets turned off and residents start using candles and gas burners just inches from their mounds of hoarded items.

How can individuals help a person who is compulsively hoarding? The Metropolitan Fire Brigade in Australia recommended that in the first instance, those assisting the hoarders should:

• Install smoke alarms and test them.
• Unblock exits
• Widen internal pathways
• Check that utilities are connected
• Remove clutter from around cooking areas and stove tops
• Remove clutter from around heaters and electrical items and discourage use of an open flame as these combined factors account for 44 percent of fires in hoarding homes.

The NFPA recommends that when talking to a person with a hoarding issue, individuals should show empathy and match the language of the person.

“If the person talks about his “collection” or her “things,” they said, “use that language. Avoid using derogatory terms such as “junk,” “trash,” or “hoarding.”

Fire alarms and automatic sprinkler systems in Tulsa and OKC can also help prevent loss of life and property damage due to these extreme fire situations.