Dead Hoarder Pulled From Beneath Trash in Houston Home, Dog RescuedFriday, 28 Mar 2014 07:25 PM
By Angela Deines
A 67-year-old Dallas hoarder was found dead Thursday under the weight of his own trash, police said, but his dog was rescued after firefighters had to cut a hole in the man's roof.
Firefighters had worked for several days to get through the man’s house to get to the body after friends had reported him missing on March 18.
“It just looks like something from a really bad TV show,” Sarah Blanchette, the man’s neighbor, told DFW-TV.
Firefighters initially tried to enter through the door but were blocked by a 10-foot "wall of trash," said DFW-TV.
“They’ve been pulling out jugs and jugs of urine and feces and just the things that he collected is amazing,” Jessica Zacek, who has lived across the street for 11 years, told the station. “Everyone knew there was a hoarding situation. No one knew the extent.”
Authorities haven’t released the name of the man who was believed to be a hoarder.
A cadaver dog was used to try to find the man but the smell of dead animals apparently blocked the dog’s efforts, DFW-TV said. Dallas authorities got a warrant to clear the home, declaring it a health and safety hazard.
Neighbors were also warned to make sure their homes and animals were secure, given that rodents were expected to escape once the house was torn down.
