West Monroe man dies from injuries due to house fire

WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE) - At approximately 10 p.m. on Dec. 25, 2022, the Ouachita Parish Fire Department (OPFD) responded to a house fire in the 100 block of Lilac St. in West Monroe.

Firefights found an unresponsive man near the back door of the home.

OPFD says the victim was the 80-year-old homeowner.

The man was taken to the local hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries on Dec. 28, 2022.

The State Fire Marshal assessed the scene and spoke to witnesses and found the victim was burning books and branches in metal containers in his living room to heat his home.

The SFM is investigating how the fire became uncontrollable and spread throughout the home.

The SFM wants to highlight home heating tips they have been sharing with the public in the past few weeks:

Place space heaters 3-5 feet from combustible objects like blankets and curtains
Plug all heating appliances directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords
Do not use stoves, ovens, or grills to heat homes
Do not overfill fireplaces or wood-burning stoves
Do not leave candles, open flames or space heaters unattended

The State Fire Marshal would also like to advise the public not to create any type of burn pile inside of your home.