Beer Cans Prevent Escape From Fire

A Cincinnati area man who died in a house fire early Wednesday morning may have survived if his escape had not been blocked by a large pile of beer cans.

Fire crews were called to the Franklin Township home before 6 a.m. and found heavy smoke and fire coming from the structure.

"My daughter woke me up because her bedroom is over in the front of the house and she seen the flames on her window," Wayne Kendrick said

Firefighters initially said no one was hurt, but one person, Robert McCarty, 37, was unaccounted for.

Crews working inside the home found McCarty's body shortly after 10 a.m., and investigators said his exit was blocked by a 5-foot tall stack of beer cans.

A caller to 911 said he couldn't get the door open.

Caller: "Yeah I tried to kick the front door open. It feels like something is in front of the door. I kicked the lock open but I can't get the door all the way open and nobody responded. "

911 Operator: "It feels like something is in front of the door?"

Caller: "Yeah." Damage to the home was extensive and estimated at $70,000. The cause of the fire was determined to be an overloaded circuit breaker.