NEW ORLEANS — A man died in a house fire early Friday in St. Charles Parish, officials said.
A volunteer firefighter who lived in the Norco neighborhood saw the smoke and found the 86-year-old who owned the home, sitting up against the screen door, unconscious. The neighborhood then called 911
Later at 6:45 a.m. firefighters from the nearby Norco Fire Department responded to reports of a house fire in the 400 block of Pine Street.
The homeowner was pronounced dead at the scene, but officials said a coroner would have to perform an autopsy before they could say how the man died.
After assessing the scene, deputies with the State Fire Marshal said the fire began in the kitchen. The fire has been classified as accidental.
Home surveillance video shows the fire starting around 4:30 a.m., near the kitchen table, but the exact cause and ignition of the fire is still under investigation.
State Fire Marshal deputies were working to find out if an unattended candle or flammable materials in the area contributed to the fire.
State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning reminds Louisiana residents to always put out candles when leaving the room where they burn and to make sure candles are placed several feet away from combustible materials, the release said.
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