A lack of hydrants hampered efforts by firefighters to save the Spanish-style home in southwest Norman late Sunday.
No one was injured.
``We arrived on scene and the house was approximately 60 percent on fire,'' Deputy Fire Chief James Fullingim said. ``The house is outside of the Norman water distribution area. It's nearly a mile to the closest hydrant.''
Fullingim said firefighters received the call at 8:40 p.m., and six units and 18 personnel responded. Firefighters had the fire under control by about 11:20 p.m., but the house was a total loss.
The house was more 6,000 square feet and worth roughly $500,000, Fullingim said.
Scott Richison, who lives in a neighborhood about 100 yards east, originally saw the fire from his house.
``We thought it was a grass fire and we got our four-wheelers and came over here and saw the house was on fire,'' Richison said.
The house had been sold within the past two months to WWLS radio personality with Jack Ross. It was formerly owned by prominent Oklahoma City attorney Irven R. Box.
``That's one of the risks being down here like this is there are no fire hydrants down here,'' Richison said. ``You get a fire and you're almost on your own.''
Fullingim said the new owner is in Florida and had not moved into the home.
