DENHAM SPRINGS, La. — A fatal fire ravaged a mobile home and surrounding vehicles and claimed the lives of a man and his two children, according to a report by WBRZ-TV.
The Livingston Parish Fire Protection District 4 said the fire occurred in the Denham Place Mobile Home Park off Burgess Road. When crews arrived, the home was completely engulfed and had been burning for quite some time before neighbors noticed the blaze and a 911 call was placed.
Nearby homes were immediately evacuated, however two mobile homes and four vehicles were involved in this incident.
Upon entering the residence, firefighters found the three deceased victims. Neighbors told WBRZ-TV that the victims were a man, identified as Nemo Romero-Diaz and his two children, Natalie, 10 and Jason, 9.
The school district said the children were students at Walker Elementary. Livingston Parish Schools said in a statement "school leaders are asking for the community's prayers and support for the family and friends, for the Walker Elementary community and the greater Town of Walker community."
A neighbor living in the trailer next door translated the incident through an interpreter.
"The fire was huge, like immense. There was shaking around. She was in fear, screaming asking for help and knocking on other people's doors to see if anyone could help save the people inside the trailer, but there was no other help," Maria Estrella Villanueva said.
Villanueva said she frequently saw the children and they enjoyed playing with neighbors and friends and their father was "calm and chill." She said they didn't cause any problems.
Villanueva also said the fire department did not arrive immediately and took about 20 minutes to arrive, "but it was too late because the other trailer was catching on fire too and cars were exploding".
However, the department said they were not alerted about the fire until the trailer was fully engulfed in flames.
Villanueva's trailer also had some damage from the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation with the assistance of Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal.
"However, we know that the fire had been burning inside the home for an extended period of time prior to 911 notification," the fire department said in a news release. "The fire was not noticed by neighbors until it had nearly engulfed the mobile home."
The family has a GoFundMe here.
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