LAFAYETTE, La. — Firefighters responded to a house fire in the 400 block of Foreman Drive on Saturday, January 25, around 3:45 p.m. After receiving multiple 911 calls reporting heavy smoke emanating from the home, first responders arrived on the scene to find flames coming from a storage room under the carport.
Upon arrival, firefighters were initially informed that children were inside the home. However, authorities quickly confirmed that all the young occupants had exited the building safely. There were three pets inside the house at the time of the fire, and firefighters immediately entered the home to rescue a cat and two dogs.
The fire caused significant damage to the carport and storage room, while the main structure of the home sustained moderate heat and smoke damage. Fire officials determined the fire originated in the storage room, which was being used as an outdoor sitting area and a place to house one of the family’s dogs.
A space heater was plugged into a surge protector in the area, and it is believed that an electrical malfunction in the surge protector may have contributed to the fire. Fire officials have stated that further examination of the power supply will be conducted as part of the ongoing investigation into the cause of the blaze.
Authorities are continuing their investigation, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.