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TERREBONNE PARISH- State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies continue their investigation into a house fire in Houma that claimed the life of the male homeowner.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Monday, August 9, the Houma Fire Department responded to a call for a residential fire located in the 600 block of Mahler Street. Firefighters later located the body of a man in a front bedroom of the home.

While official identification and cause of death are pending with the Terrebonne Parish Coroner’s Office, the victim is believed to be the 66-year-old homeowner.

Following an assessment of the scene, deputies have determined the fire began in the home’s living room. While the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time, deputies cannot rule out the possibility of an unattended oil lamp as a contributing factor.

The SFM would like to remind Louisiana residents never to leave candles, oil lamps, or other open flame-type light sources unattended and to ensure that any of these items are kept at least five feet away from combustible materials when in use.

In addition, investigating deputies and responding fire personnel were unable to locate any working smoke alarms or home sprinkler systems. Smoke alarms are a proven tool to alert residents to a fire danger in order to escape safely while home fire sprinklers can immediately limit the threat to life and damage to property.

The SFM’s Operation Save-A-Life partners with local fire departments to install smoke alarms for free for families that need them most. To learn more about Operation Save-A-Life, or to register for a smoke alarm installation, visit lasfm.org.