INDIANAPOLIS -- A man was critically injured in a fire at his extremely cluttered home on Indianapolis' south side early Thursday morning, fire officials said.

Firefighters were called to the 800 block of Minnesota Street at about 5:45 a.m.

Images: Fire Scene
Video: Neighbors: Man Had Items Piled Up In Home

Officials said the homeowner, Steve Beenel, 53, called 911 and told dispatchers that his house was burning.

Dispatchers tried to talk the man into getting out of the home, but when firefighters arrived, they found him inside.

Firefighters tried to get into the home through the front door, but they encountered so many items piled up in the home that they could not get through.

"The house is filled with trash from the floor to the ceiling," said Indianapolis fire Capt. Fred Pervine. "Firefighters had a very difficult time getting into the fire."

Crews were able to get to the back of the house to knock down the flames. They were then able to go inside, crawling and climbing over items, to get to Beenel, who was found unconscious in the middle of the first floor.

"They had to climb over and bring the gentleman up over the piles of trash and bring him out of the house," Pervine said.

Beenel was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital in extremely critical condition, 6News' Julie Pursley reported.

Neighbors said Beenel enjoyed collecting things that many people would consider trash.

"Some people, that stuff, they trash," said neighbor Robert Shaw. "I would have thrown it all away, but he treasured it."

"He don't bother nobody. He just saves everything," said neighbor Larry Patrick. "He buys stuffs and sells it, you know, computer stuff."

Fire investigators were trying to determine what sparked the fire.