Elderly woman, four pets die in DeQuincy house fire

DeQuincy, LA (KPLC) - Firefighters responded to a fatal structure fire in DeQuincy this morning, according to the Ward Six Fire Department.

Fire Chief Todd Parker said they received the call regarding a fire on the 1100 block of Rigmaiden Cemetery Rd. around 5:52 a.m. and were on the scene within 5 minutes. When firefighters arrived, they found the building fully engulfed in flames and a male resident outside of the home attempting to rescue a female resident still inside.

“The house was fully involved with fire,” Parker said. “We were notified that there was an occupant in the house, and search and rescue efforts began.”

During the process of putting out the fire, firefighters found that an elderly woman had died, along with one cat and three dogs. Parker said one male was able to escape with minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

The investigation into the fire has been turned over to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office. So far, investigators believe the fire started in the living room and does not appear suspicious.

At this time, the cause of the fire remains undetermined with the inability to rule out a home heating-related contributing factor.

In addition, deputies have confirmed there were no working smoke alarms in the home.

Parker stresses the importance of having a working fire detector in your home.

“Smoke detectors do save lives,” Parker said. “Reach out to your local fire department. They may have smoke detectors, or you can buy smoke detectors at Walmart, or wherever. Just make sure to have working smoke detectors in your house.”

According to the State Fire Marshal’s office, there have been 14 fatalities involving house fires across the state just two months into 2023.

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