Hingey rushed home, forced open his back door and rescued his dog, Ashes, affectionately known as ‘‘Ashie.’’

‘‘She is my second soul mate. My wife, Karen, is my first,’’ Hingey said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the home at 1220 S. Atlanta Ave. about 12:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 call from a nearby resident. Hingey’s wife and her daughter were not home at the time, and no injuries were reported.

Karen Hingey rushed home after learning about the fire.

She said her husband is a cancer survivor and has other medical problems, but his dog keeps his spirits up.

‘‘Without her by his side, he is very down,’’ she said.

The couple had been staying with family for the past three days because their home had no electricity due to the ice storm. Power was returned to the home Wednesday night, so they planned to return Thursday, Hingey said.

‘‘All I did was walk in, check everything and everything seemed fine, and I walked back out and started helping the neighbors,’’ Hingey said.

He was out in the neighborhood for about three hours before learning that his house was on fire.

Damage to the home was estimated to be at least $10,000, Fire Capt. Larry Bowles said.

‘‘Right now, we believe it to be electrical in nature,’’ he said.

Bowles said preliminary evidence indicates the fire started around an electrical

‘‘I have lived here for 32 years,’’ Hingey said as firefighters worked to extinguish hot spots in the home. ‘‘This is my first home. I bought it out of the military with my GI loan.’’

The front of the home was blackened and severely damaged.

Hingey wondered whether anything could be salvaged, including family pictures.

‘‘I just had new siding put on two years ago. I built the front deck myself. All my furnishings . . . a lot of them are restored antiques,’’ he said.

Hingey was helping Brad Stumph clear brush from his yard when he learned of the fire.

‘‘This guy is just a great neighbor, and he is really involved. He is always keeping an eye out on the community,” Stumph said.

Stumph said Hingey has been going up and down the street offering to help neighbors.

Hingey does handiwork and also has been offering reduced rates to help get homes back to normal after the storm.

‘‘I just feel awful for him. He is a really good guy,’’ Stumph said.

Despite the devastation of losing so much, Hingey kept things in perspective and expressed thanks for what he did not lose.

‘‘I want to thank God that Ashie got out and our cat got out and there was nobody harmed, and I want to thank the Tulsa Fire Department for such a fast response. They are fantastic. I don’t know of anyone who could be any better,’’ Hingey said.

Nicole Marshall 581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com