RINGGOLD, La. (KSLA) — A woman died in a mobile home fire in the Bienville Parish town of Ringgold, the Louisiana state fire marshal’s office reports.
Bienville Parish Fire District 4 and 5 firefighters responded to the blaze in the 2100 block of Washington Street about 8:45 pm Saturday, Jan. 14.
The victim is believed to be the 44-year-old tenant, authorities say. Positive identification and determination of the cause of death are pending autopsy results.
After assessing the scene and collecting witness statements, deputy fire marshals determined that the fire started in the kitchen area of the home. While the exact cause of this fire remains undetermined at this time, the state fire marshal’s office reports that deputies are unable
to rule out the victim’s common practice of heating the home by running her electric stove burners and oven as a potential contributing factor to this fire.
The SFM urges Louisianans to practice safe home heating practices by:
• Placing space heaters 3-5 feet from combustible objects like blankets and curtains,
• Plugging all heating appliances directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords,
• Avoiding the use of stoves, ovens and or grills to heat homes,
• Being cautious against overfilling fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, and,
• Ensuring they do not leave candles/open flames (or space heaters) unattended.
“If you know of a relative, friend or loved one that engages in unsafe heating practices, please help us share these tips with them and develop a safer way for them to keep warm,” spokeswoman Ashley Rodrigue said.
In addition, deputy fire marshals were unable to confirm whether there were working smoke alarms in the Ringgold residence. “Smoke alarms are proven to be the difference between life and death in a fire emergency.”
The state fire marshal’s Operation Save-A-Life program partners with local fire departments to install smoke alarms for free for families who need them most. To learn more about the program and to register for a smoke alarm, visit the website lasfm.org. You can also contact your local fire department to request a smoke alarm installation.
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