SCOTT, La. — UPDATE: An investigation into the residential fire on Wednesday revealed the fire to be accidental in nature.
The fire was believed to have been started by an exterior extension cord plugged into a freezer located under the back patio.
On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 12:29 p.m., the Scott Fire Department responded to a possible house fire in the 100 block of Sunset Street Drive, according to Chad P. Sonnier, Fire Chief.
Firefighters on the scene found heavy fire emitting from the structure. The homeowner informed firefighters that everyone was out of the home.
Once firefighters entered the structure to extinguish the fire, extreme heat was encountered as a result of an extraordinary number of combustibles inside the structure. The extraordinary number of combustibles also hindered firefighters’ ability to locate the origin of the fire. High winds and a metal roof also complicated firefighting efforts, says Sonnier.
The roof began to collapse while inside the home, forcing firefighters to exit the structure. Heavy equipment and a thermal camera mounted on a drone were then utilized to locate and access fires inside the structure to minimize the dangers firefighters were confronted with, as stated by Sonnier.
On the report of the Scott Fire Department, the occupant of the residence was interviewed and stated she was asleep at the time in the residence and a passerby observed the fire, knocked on her door, and alerted her of the situation, allowing her to safely escape.
One firefighter was treated at the scene for exhaustion. No civilians we injured as a result of the incident.
Several departments from Lafayette Parish responded to assist the Scott Fire Department with extinguishment.
A fundraiser has been set up for the fire victim who occupied the home, Rosa Munoz, a resident of more than twenty-three years.
Munoz lost everything in the fire, the home is a total loss.
Munoz is a home health caretaker and is still working through this tough time.
If you would like to help Rosa, you can donate by clicking here.
Munoz and her family thank the first responders and the community for their assistance.
