2 Louisiana Children Die in January 5 House Fire

Published January 6, 2022

Louisiana – Deputies with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office are still investigating the circumstances surrounding a house fire in Opelousas that killed two children.
On Wednesday, January 5, 2022, just before 1:15 a.m., the Opelousas Fire Department responded to a fire call in the 1900 block of Jake Drive. Four of the home’s six residents were outside when first responders arrived, one of whom was an adult male attempting to rescue two boys who were still inside. Later, firefighters discovered a 12-year-old in a hallway and an 11-year-old by the front entrance in the living room.

Deputies discovered the fire started in the living room after inspecting the scene. Deputies indicated that the exact cause of the fire is currently undetermined, but cannot exclude an electrical malfunction of various devices in the area of origin, including a powered couch, space heater, and a full, multi-plug power strip, Deputies have also been unable to locate or determine whether the home had any functioning smoke alarms at this time.

Official identifications and causes of death are pending with the St. Landry Parish Coroner’s Office.

“This is an incredibly sad case that we wish had a very different outcome,” said State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning, “We encourage all families to take at least two things from this tragedy. The first is to get a smoke alarm for your home. The second is to have a practiced escape plan for your family, especially if you have children. Everyone should know two ways out of every room in your home and have a safe meeting place outside of the home to gather at to confirm everyone is out and unharmed.”

When it comes to electrical safety, stay away from using extension cables and power strips to establish power sources where there isn’t one. Avoid overloading those cords and strips by just using them for temporary purposes, not using all of the plugs at the same time, and being aware of their power limitations. To avoid overheating of cables, plug all appliances directly into wall outlets, especially those that demand a lot of power.

Smoke alarms, according to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, are a proven method for alerting citizens to a fire hazard and allowing them to safely escape. The SFM’s Operation Save-A-Life program collaborates with local fire departments to provide free smoke alarm installation to families in need. Visit lasfm.org to learn more about Operation Save-A-Life or to register for a smoke alarm installation.