Jonesboro, LA (12/29/2023) – State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies continue to investigate an apartment fire in Jonesboro that claimed the life of a teenage boy and sent his mother and 4-year-old nephew to the hospital.
Around 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, December 27, the Jonesboro Fire Department responded to a call for an apartment fire located in the 200 block of Oaklawn Drive.
Firefighters learned that a family of four had been in the home at the time of the fire. A 52-year-old woman was badly injured when trying to put the fire out and, tragically, her 17-year-old son was unable to escape. A 4-year-old boy was also injured. He, along with the woman, his grandmother, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The toddler’s mother was uninjured. While the child has since been released from the hospital, the woman remains in critical condition.
Following an assessment of the scene and conducting witness statements, deputies have determined the fire began in the home’s living room. While the investigation into the exact cause of the fire continues, deputies have been unable to rule out the possibility of improper smoking practices as a contributing factor.
The SFM strongly advises always smoking outdoors and discarding smoking materials, like cigarettes, into appropriate containers where they can be safely and fully extinguished. Also, keep all smoking materials and any flame-producing devices, like lighters, or open-flame objects, like candles, out of the reach of children. It is also critical to teach children that fire is not a toy, but rather, can be dangerous to the property around them and the people they love the most.
Lastly, deputies were unable to locate working smoke alarms in the home. The SFM wants to stress to all Louisiana residents that smoke alarms have proven to be the difference between life and death in a fire emergency. If you need assistance obtaining smoke alarms for your home, Operation Save-A-Life can help. To learn more about Operation Save-A-Life, or to register for a free smoke alarm, visit our website at lasfm.org or contact your local fire department to request a free smoke alarm installation.
Source: SFM
