WASHINGTON PARISH, La. — Lousiana State Fire Marshal officials say an elderly man is dead after a house fire in Washington Parish earlier this week.
The Washington Parish Fire District #9 responded to a house fire on Tuesday at 11 p.m. in the 38000 block of Bill Simmons Road in Mt. Hermon.
When firefighters arrived, they found an injured man outside of the home. He told the firefighters that another man was still inside. When firefighters did locate a deceased victim in a bedroom.
The victim is believed to be the 82-year-old bedridden homeowner, according to officials
Investigators determined that the fire started in the room where the victim was found, and a space heater likely caused it.
“Our coldest months are our most deadly months for house fires,” said Adams, “But the common heating-related causes of these fires are preventable. We want every family to know what fire hazards to be aware of and how to fix those before they threaten lives.”
Here are some home heating safety tips from the State Fire Marshal:
- Place space heaters 3-5 feet from combustible objects like blankets and curtains
- Plug all heating appliances directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords, especially if wires are frayed or worn
- Do not use stoves, ovens, or grills to heat homes
- Don’t overfill fireplaces/wood-burning stoves
- Do not leave candles/open flames (or space heaters) left unattended
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
