NEW ORLEANS — Flames engulfed a duplex on Marais Street early Monday morning. What’s left are mere remnants of a home. Residents believe lightning struck the side of the home and cause an electrical fire to begin, which then swallowed the rest of the home.
Lawrence Winchester was asleep inside the home when his family member ran next door to get help.
“I didn’t know what was going on but I ended up getting locked in the yard the fireman had to come get me from back there,” Winchester said. “Really I don’t have any idea about nothing right now, I’m just trying to wake up out of all of this.”
A similar situation happened across the river, in Algiers Point. A Belleville Street resident is also still in shock after she was awoken when her home caught fire.
“You come back and it’s like every room of the house has been touched by the fire so it’s pretty devastating. I’m sure I haven’t totally gotten a grip on it yet,” she said.
It’s unclear how the fire started. WWLTV was told a transformer blew in the area.
The resident tried to get out through her front gate but saw a live wire speaking on it. She said her smoke alarms saved her life, two things the fire department says have saved numerous lives in the past 24 hours.
“One of the most important things is to have a plan you need to check your home if there’s a fire you need to have a fast way out,” NOFD Public Information Officer, Michael Williams said. “In most of these fires smoke alarms did save the occupants' lives. that’s one of the most important things.”
The New Orleans Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fires. They can install free smoke detectors if you do not have them.
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