Suspect Arrested: Lafayette Firefighters Suspect Arson in 2 House Fires
UPDATE:
Lafayette Fire Department investigator Alton Trahan says that a man who lived at one of the homes has now been arrested for setting the fires. Officials arrested Darcy J. Baudoin Sr. in connection with the fires. Baudoin was charged with two counts of Simple Arson. Trahan says the situation stemmed from a domestic disturbance that happened earlier in the day.
ORIGIONAL (6/25):
Two homes that went ablaze on Tuesday had firefighters from Carencro, Lafayette, Scott, and Broussard - along with equipment help from Cankton and Cecilia - busy for several hours. Now, fire investigators with the Lafayette Fire Department have determined that both fires were intentionally set.
The fires caught the attention of firefighters around 2:00 p.m. as they responded to Saint Fidelis Street in Lafayette Parish. The initial fire reported was in the 100 block with the second in the 200 block of Saint Fidelis Street. Both homes and a camper sustained heavy fire damage. Because of a lack of water supply in the rural area, water tankers from all Lafayette Parish Volunteer Fire Departments along with Cankton and Cecilia Volunteer Fire Department were needed to help put out the fires.
Investigators say a man was living in one of the homes and was using the other one for storage. That unoccupied home did not have any utility services. The man was not home when firefighters arrived on scene. There were no injuries reported.
A criminal investigation is underway as fire investigators are trying to determine who is responsible for starting the fires. If you have any information, please call the Lafayette Fire Department at (337) 291-8716 or contact Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-TIPS.