BATON ROUGE - A devastating fire has left a Monticello neighborhood resident homeless and his property in ruins. 

Two weeks ago, a blaze broke out at the corner of Scarborough Drive and Cardigan Avenue, quickly consuming Douglas Crawford's home.

Neighbors say the house has been accumulating "stuff" for over a decade, with piles of appliances, tools, and debris visible from the street.

Crawford, who lived alone, claimed the items led him to sell scrap metal and make repairs to the house. Others saw it as a disaster waiting to happen.

On the day of the fire, Crawford says a small backyard blaze grew out of control.

"I tried to put it out, and it wouldn't go out," he said.

The flames soon engulfed the house. Smoke filled the air and neighbors called 911, fearing the fire would spread to nearby homes. Firefighters from Central and Baton Rouge responded, and although the property was lost, adjacent homes were spared.

Neighbor Terry Minyard expressed sympathy for Crawford's loss, but noted the hazards posed by the accumulated debris and the presence of accelerants on the property. The fire department's after-action report confirmed that the hoarding conditions complicated the response, requiring an excavator to demolish the remaining structure and extinguish hotspots.

Crawford, who has lived at the address for many years, has a history of communication with the city regarding the state of his property. He had been cited for blight. In fact, the morning of the fire the city inspected the property. Hours later, the fire broke out. Even so, the property went before blight court on Oct. 15, and Crawford was ordered to clean it up by Oct. 26 or pay a $250 fine.

Now with the property a total loss, what remains is a field of debris scattered across the yard and into the sidewalk. Neighbors are urging the city to expedite cleanup efforts, while Crawford is left salvaging what he can.

"I don't got no clothes," he said. 

Crawford wishes to rebuild the house and, in the meantime, find a place to live. The Red Cross has been contacted to assist. 

Investigators have ruled the fire accidental. City officials say an order to clear the property is in place but has not yet been scheduled.