ASCENSION PARISH – State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies continue investigating a mobile home fire in Gonzales that claimed the life of a female resident.

Just before 5 a.m. on Friday, February 24, the Gonzales Fire Department responded to a report of a mobile home fire located in the 43000 block of Weber City Road. Unfortunately, firefighters later located the body of a female resident in the kitchen.

While official identification and cause of death are pending an autopsy with the Ascension Parish Coroner’s Office, the victim is believed to be the 74-year-old homeowner.

At this time, the cause of the fire remains undetermined with the inability to rule out unattended cooking as a possible contributing factor.

While the cause of this fire is still being investigated, the SFM would like to remind families about key cooking safety tips:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking, especially when the stove is active

• Keep cooking environments free of clutter and combustible materials

• Keep children at least three feet away from the stove, sharp objects and hot foods and/or liquids

• Avoid cooking when tired, distracted or impaired

• Keep a lid close by in the event a small, stovetop fire occurs that can be smothered by placing the lid over it and turning off the heat

• If an oven fire occurs, turn off the heat and leave the door closed

• When a large cooking fire occurs, get yourself and any other occupants out of the home immediately and call 911 for help

In addition, deputies did not locate working smoke alarms in the home. Smoke alarms are proven to be the difference between life and death in a fire emergency. 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 the program and register for a smoke alarm, visit lasfm.org. You can also contact your local fire department to request a smoke alarm installation.