Homeowner thinks fire that killed his grandson was set
The grandfather of a boy who died early Saturday of injuries suffered in a northeast Oklahoma City house fire thinks someone intentionally set the blaze.
Phillip Harding, 69, of 1029 NE 28, said his grandson Deon Harding, 2, died at OU Medical Center early Saturday.
The medical examiner confirmed Deon died of smoke inhalation. The manner is accidental, spokesman Eddie Johnson said.
Deon’s brother, Teeshawn Harding, 3, was on life support Monday afternoon at a hospital in Dallas.
The boy has no brain activity, and it will be up to Phillip Harding and his son whether to remove him from it, Phillip Harding said.
There are three vehicles on the property with all four tires punctured. A brick was thrown through the back windshield of a car parked by a curb in front of the house. Harding said the damage happened between 11 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday.
The boys were asleep by 10 p.m., and Harding was asleep by 11 p.m., he said.
“They have no reason to be where they are now. They didn’t bother nobody, no one. Very cheerful, very playful. Mischievous as usually, you know, but other than that, they’re sweet kids,” Harding said.
“My grandsons, I loved them to death,” he said.
Harding said that he had a working electric smoke detector in the home, which woke him up. Oklahoma City fire officials say firefighters found no smoke detector in the home.
Harding said his house is a total loss. The home is insured, but he lost everything.
Oklahoma City fire investigators found no evidence that the house was torched.
“It looks bad, and it may be, but until we know it is, we’re not calling it an intentionally set fire,” said fire department Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson. “The cause of the fire is undetermined, and it will be, unless we find something else.”
Deon’s death is the 12th Oklahoma City fire death of 2018.