LAFAYETTE, La. — Five people have been displaced after a fire swept through a Lafayette apartment complex Tuesday afternoon, leaving one neighbor rattled and grateful for a swift rescue.
“I didn't sleep well last night because it's pretty scary to think this can happen, come out of nowhere — and I mean, it could be very tragic. It could have been a lot worse,” said SeLissa Gil, a next-door neighbor.
Gil says that the fire started only feet away from where her son was sleeping. “When he woke up, when he heard the noise — they were banging on the window to wake him up and he said it was full of smoke everywhere. The fact that he could have slept through that and been hurt, it's kind of scary,” she said.
According to investigators, the fire began in one unit and extended to the attic of the four-plex, causing heavy fire and smoke damage. Officials believe a candle may have sparked the blaze.
“It was kind of shocking to get that call, so I left work and I came and there were fire trucks and police all the way down the streets, like a couple of blocks,” Gil said.
Although Gil and her son managed to salvage some belongings, their apartment sustained significant water and smoke damage. “I feel like we were lucky in a sense that we can salvage some stuff, but there was a lot of water everywhere, so a lot got flooded and the smoke,” she said.
Now, as she and her family work to recover, Gil said she is especially thankful for the quick-thinking neighbors who helped alert and evacuate residents. “Always be vigilant, always look out for your neighbors, know who lives next door to you,” Gil said.
The Red Cross is assisting those displaced. Next steps for residents include seeing what belongings can be salvaged and beginning the long process of moving forward after the fire.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
