One reason to keep your house neat

That's so firefighters can find you if your house is burning.

The fire happened around 5:00 a.m at a duplex off of Walters street on the East Side.

When firefighters arrived at the home, there were already flames coming out the rooftop. Crews did a quick search inside but couldn't find anyone.

...

Firefighters said there were stacked newspapers, trash, and debris everywhere inside the home.

"It makes it difficult for us to rescue you," explained SAFD Batallion Chief Connie Hall. "It makes it difficult for you to rescue yourself."

The obstacles combined with flames, thick smoke and darkness, greatly hindered the firefighters' efforts.

(from WOAI-TV)