Four people were killed late last week in a mobile home fire in Hornbeck, Louisiana, according to reports.
The Louisiana Office of the State Fire Marshal said in a release that there were no working smoke alarms in the trailer at the time of the fire.
According to the release, on October 2, 2020, at around 11:45 p.m., the Hornbeck (LA) Fire Department responded to the 100 block of J Hext Road for a report of a trailer on fire with people trapped inside. Firefighters later located the body of a husband and wife, ages 57 and 54, respectively, as well as a 31-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man. Two other adults were able to escape the fire unscathed.
Fire marshals believe the fire began in the kitchen/living room area of the home and is likely electrical in nature, but the official cause remains undetermined at this time. Investigators are looking into several recent issues with the electrical system in the trailer, including a concerning reaction that followed the family connecting a generator directly into their electrical outlets when Hurricane Laura knocked power out to the area. It was also reported that the family had turned their heater on last night for the first time this fall season.
Deputies learned that the two people who were able to escape heard a popping sound seconds after the power suddenly went out. When they opened the door to their bedroom to investigate, they found the trailer filled with smoke and immediately fled. The 57-year-old victim reportedly went back inside to help the others, the release said.
“The loss of these four family members is tragic in so many ways,” said State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning, “We want Louisiana residents to realize the significance of having smoke alarms when a fire emergency occurs, no matter the cause.”
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