SULPHUR, La. — A 66-year-old man died Sunday afternoon after a house fire at the intersection of Maplewood Drive and Marilyn Drive in Sulphur, according to local fire officials and family members.
The victim has been identified by his family as Billy Joe Smith, 66. He was inside the home when the fire broke out Sunday, and he did not survive, relatives confirmed.
The Sulphur Fire Department said crews were called to the house fire just after 1 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters arrived to find the home burning and began efforts to control the flames and protect the surrounding area.
The fire took several hours to fully extinguish, indicating a challenging response for firefighters working in and around the structure. Officials have not released additional details about the conditions they faced inside the home, including how far the fire had spread when they arrived.
Sulphur firefighters were assisted on scene and in the follow-up by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, which routinely helps local departments with investigations into serious or fatal fires. The involvement of the state agency typically includes examining the fire scene, looking at burn patterns, and reviewing any available witness statements or photographs to help determine how and where the fire started.
As of now, authorities have not announced a cause for the fire, and they have not released information on whether any smoke alarms were present or working inside the home. Officials also have not indicated if anyone else was in the house at the time of the fire or if any firefighters were injured during the response.
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