COVINGTON, La. — State Fire Marshal deputies are investigating a house fire in Covington that left one man dead.
St. Tammany Firefighters responded to a fire in the 76000 block of Cameo Drive around around 1:15 a.m. on Sunday.
When they arrived, they found a 62-year-old man in a closet and pulled him from the home. The man was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Investigators believe the victim lived in the home. Deputies determined the fire began in the fireplace area, where they found evidence of it in use with the flue still closed, according to State Fire Marshal deputies.
Official identification and cause of death are pending with the parish Coroner’s Office.
SFM urges families to practice safe home heating practices. Those include the following:
- Placing space heaters 3-5 feet from combustible objects like blankets and curtains
- Plugging all heating appliances directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords
- Avoiding the use of stoves or ovens to heat homes
- Not overfilling fireplaces/wood-burning stoves and ensuring proper ventilation
- Not leaving candles/open flames (or space heaters) unattended
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