Self-Described ‘Junk Collector’ Watches Fire Destroy Cluttered Home, Belongings

For 29 years, Betty Woodruff lived in her house on Teal Avenue in Garden Grove, piling it from floor to ceiling with personal mementos and, by her own admission, a lot of “junk.” Sunday morning, the 65-year-old Woodruff watched flames destroy her house and all that she had collected--newspapers, magazines, stuffed animals, old clothing and a croquet set, among other items.

There were no injuries in the 8:30 a.m. blaze, but firefighters estimated damage at $85,000 for the house and $10,000 for Woodruff’s belongings.

They said the house was filled with assorted objects, with piles of them in some places nearly reaching the ceiling.

The clutter of the house--described by one firefighter as “a perfect case of pack rat-ism”--hampered efforts to fight the fire, officials said.

2 Hours to Extinguish

It took 29 firefighters more than an hour to contain the blaze, and two hours to extinguish it, Battalion Chief Vince Bonacker said.

Woodruff said flames erupted after a lighted candle toppled over.

She said she was using the candle because her electric lights were not working.

Neighbors said Woodruff tried to fight the fire with a garden hose, but that they called the Fire Department when the blaze got out of hand.

The clutter was an eccentric part of the otherwise-tidy community, neighbors said. Several neighbors said they were sympathetic to Woodruff’s plight, but were pleased to see the junk go.

Sitting across the street at a neighbor’s garage sale, Woodruff called herself a “junk collector” who brought home items that others had discarded.

She said she often gave pairs of shoes--of which she said she had nearly 100--and other useful items to the needy, sometimes sending packages as far away as Mexico.

A retired timekeeper, Woodruff--who lives on a pension--will be housed temporarily by the Red Cross, officials said.

No More Candles

Woodruff was in good spirits after the fire, but she declared: “I’m never going to light another candle, except maybe on a birthday cake.”

As she watched municipal bulldozers dumping the remains of her possessions into waiting trucks, Woodruff observed, “It’s one way to get rid of my junk.”