6 displaced following 2 separate LaPlace fires
Published 12:10 am Saturday, March 17, 2018
LAPLACE — Two unrelated fire incidents this week displaced a total of six LaPlace residents and launched a criminal investigation in one home, according to St. John the Baptist Parish officials.
The St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office said an investigation uncovered no evidence of a clandestine meth lab at 119 Tassin Court in LaPlace, where a home caught fire as an occupant was working in his garage after 1 a.m. Tuesday.
The exact cause of the fire is undetermined, according to Cain Dufrene, chief of operations for St. John Parish Office of Fire Services.
Four engines were dispatched at 1:19 a.m., Dufrene said. Upon arriving on scene, personnel found the structure fully engulfed and located two adult occupants in the backyard.
The occupants were moved to safety and Red Cross was notified.
One occupant told Fire Services he was welding in his garage and stopped to work on a truck, at which time he heard a loud pop and noticed flames near the welding table.
Firefighters made a quick knockdown on the fire and had it under control within 30 minutes, according to Dufrene.
The house sustained significant water and smoke damage, Dufrene said. Fire had already spread through the wood in the attic to claim other rooms in the residence, and personnel tore down sheetrock to ensure flames were completely doused.
No injuries were reported at Tassin Court or during a separate incident that occurred Tuesday afternoon at 1103 LA 628 in LaPlace.
Four engines and 11 firefighters were dispatched to a single-family home at 12:43 p.m. after being notified of a structure fire.
Personnel arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming from the eaves of the home, and the homeowner confirmed everyone was out of the structure.
The homeowner did not cite a cause, as he was notified of the fire after being woken up by a neighbor.
According to the Office of Fire Services report, a two-man team made entry to extinguish the fire, which was under control by 1:05 p.m. The ceiling was removed in the process to knock down flames and attack hotspots.
Red Cross was notified of the four occupants requiring placement.