FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2022
Lafayette, LA – At 5:12 pm this afternoon, Lafayette firefighters responded to a house fire in the 300 block of South Pierce Street. The home, converted into a duplex, was occupied by a family of 5 on one side and one person on the other. The fire was reported by an occupant in the unit with the family of 5. An adult male exited his unit and noticed the adjacent unit on fire through the windows. The occupant of the unit on fire was not home. The adult male alerted his friends and everyone exited safely.
When firefighters arrived on scene, flames were coming from a living room window. Emergency crews entered the burning dwelling and extinguished the fire with 15 minutes. A search of the unit confirmed that the occupant was not home. The unit where the fire started sustained heavy fire damage. The other unit endured smoke and water damage. Neither units were able to be occupied after the fire. Red Cross was contacted to assist the residents.
Fire officials determined the fire originated on the sofa in the living room. Improperly discarded cigarette is likely the cause of the fire.
