The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal (SFM) is investigating a tragic residential fire in West Monroe that claimed the life of a 69-year-old man early Monday morning.
Around 6:30 a.m. on December 8, the Ouachita Parish Fire Department responded to a reported house fire in the 200 block of New Chapel Hill Road. Firefighters arrived to find the home heavily involved in flames. A 67-year-old woman was able to escape, but her husband did not survive.
Preliminary findings indicate the home did not have a working smoke alarm. SFM investigators believe the fire began in the living room and may have been sparked by smoking materials. The investigation remains ongoing.
The SFM continues to urge all residents to ensure their homes are equipped with working smoke alarms, and to use extreme caution with cigarettes, cigars, and other smoking materials, which are a leading cause of fatal fires.
“Loss of life in a fire is devastating and often preventable,” said DPS Principal Assistant, Chief Bryan J. Adams. “A working smoke alarm can provide the critical warning needed to escape before conditions become deadly. Our Operation Save-A-Life program offers free smoke alarms and installation to help ensure every family has this lifesaving protection.”
For more information, to request a free smoke alarm installation, visit lasfm.org or contact your local fire department.
The SFM expresses its gratitude to the Ouachita Parish Fire Department for its swift response and valuable collaboration throughout the investigation.
