Louisiana Fire Officials Issue Urgent Warning After RV Blaze Kills Man

(KPEL News) - Investigators with the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal were called in to begin an investigation into a deadly fire that happened on Monday in a recreational vehicle.

What Officials Know About a Deadly RV Fire

According to the Department of Public Safety Principal Assistant Chief Bryan Adams, the flames that engulfed the RV took the life of a 67-year-old man.

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Could Lithium Battery Be the Cause of Fatal RV Fire?

What started the fire is still under investigation, and officials say they are not ruling out that the fire may have started with a lithium battery.

WBRZ notes this is the seventh fire death in a week.

Adams says any of the following items can be suspect, including, but not limited to:

• Phones
• Laptops
• Power Tools
• E-bikes

He says that if lithium batteries are not charged properly, they can catch fire. His advice is to charge any device that contains a lithium battery using the cord that came with the device.

READ MORE: INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED A FIRE THAT CLAIMED A LOUISIANA WOMAN'S LIFE

Adams says if you no longer have the cord that came with a particular device, you should get a replacement or check with the maker to see which kind you can use. If there is any damage to the power source you use to charge a device, even if it seems like a small issue, he says you should replace it.

Louisiana Fire Official Says Smoke Alarms Save Lives

As the initial investigation noted, there was no working smoke alarm in the RV. Adams says,

Smoke alarms provide early warning and save lives. It’s not the flames that kill—it’s the smoke.

He adds that if you have a smoke alarm, you should regularly test it to ensure it's working properly and installed correctly.

Get a Free Smoke Alarm in Louisiana Through Operation Save-A-Life

Many homes in Louisiana don't have even one working smoke alarm. If you can't afford a smoke detector or you need help with installation, Louisiana's Operation Save-A-Life program can help. You can fill out a form on the website to begin the process of getting a free smoke alarm and help with installation. Adams also suggests contacting your local fire department for help.

The fire happened at 10 a.m. Monday morningin the 100 block of 18th Street in the town of Reserve, which is in St. John the Baptist Parish.

The identity of the man has not been released.

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