Oakdale, LA (10/25/2023) – State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies continue to investigate a house fire in Oakdale that claimed the lives of a disabled woman and her friend.
Around 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, the Oakdale Fire Department responded to a call for a house fire located in the 200 block of Canal Street. Upon arrival, firefighters spotted a man through a bedroom window and pulled him from the fire. Unfortunately, however, first responders were unable to revive the victim. Firefighters later found a second victim in a bathroom.
While official identification and cause of death are pending with the parish Coroner’s Office, at this time, the victims are believed to be a 35-year-old disabled woman, who was renting the home, and a 61-year-old male friend visiting at the time of the fire.
Following an assessment of the scene, deputies determined the fire began in a dining room area. While the investigation into the exact cause of the fire continues, deputies have been unable to rule out the possibility of unsafe smoking practices, unattended candles and/or an electrical malfunction as potential contributing factors.
While many fire hazards can lead to tragedy in our homes, the most common fatal home fire causes can be avoided by ensuring smoking materials are discarded appropriately, never leaving open flames, like candles, unattended, and ensuring appliances are connected to appropriate power sources for the electrical strength of those appliances to avoid overloading and overheating those power sources.
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.
