The fire at 5933 Delmar St. was reported just before noon.
Firefighters said they had a hard time entering the front door because the home was cluttered from floor to ceiling with old newspapers, discarded beer and pop cans and other trash.Investigators said the clutter may have prevented Anthony Platt, 52, from escaping."It does appear the person was trying to escape from the fire. The man was found inside the front door," Division Fire Chief Gary Lamons said.
Firefighters said clutter inside the home may have prevented the resident from escaping the flames.
KMBC's crew captured pictures from inside the house. It showed smoldering remnants of trash and belongings barricading windows and doors.Fairway police were first called to the home when Platt failed to show up at a friend's house, and officers found the house fully engulfed in flames.Once Platt was removed from the home, firefighters said they had to fight their way through the clutter to battle the flames.Investigators are searching for the cause, but said the fire appears to have started in the basement.Neighbors told KMBC that Platt lived alone and kept to himself.
Copyright 2006 by TheKansasCityChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Video: Watch KMBC's Exclusive Report
