Louisiana House Fire Kills Man Without Smoke Alarm

(KPEL News) - A devastating house fire can happen at any time, and Louisiana officials with the State Fire Marshal's Officer are still working to determine how a fatal fire started, but one thing they already know is that the home had no working smoke alarm.

This is a repeated thing in Louisiana, unfortunately. Too many homes in Acadiana and across our state do not even have one working smoke alarm. The Louisiana Fire Marshal's Office estimates as many as 65% of homes do not have a smoke alarm.

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The fire happened at around 11 in the morning on September 28, and a Rapides Parish man died in his home. The Deville Fire Department asked for investigators from the Office of the Fire Marshal to come to investigate the scene.

They determined the man's home did not have a working smoke alarm. Most times when a fire starts, there are only seconds that a person is able to flee a fire, and working smoke alarms in a home can help a person have the crucial time needed to flee the scene.

Investigators are still working to determine exactly what caused the fire to start. State Fire Marshal Chief Chad Sonnier says,

Tragedies like this remind us just how quickly a fire can become deadly and how important it is to have working smoke alarms in every home. Smoke alarms provide an early warning that can make all the difference, giving occupants precious time to get out safely before a fire and smoke make escape impossible.

Sonnier says a 56-year-old man perished in Monday's fire. He says he hopes anyone without a smoke alarm will take advantage of the state's Operation Save-A-Life program.

Operation Save-A-Life is a program that helps anyone who needs a smoke alarm to get one in their home. You can begin the process by filling out a form on its website. If you, for some reason, can't install the smoke alarm, there is also assistance with that process.

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Categories: louisiana news

Another Louisiana Fire Tragedy As a Man Dies in a House Fire

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