West Monroe house catches fire, leaves 1 dead

UPDATE: Ouachita Parish Coroner has confirmed that 84-year-old Mary Keele perished in the house fire that took place on March 13 at 600 Wood St.

WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE) - The West Monroe Fire Department responded to a house fire on March 13, 2023, around 11 p.m. at 600 Wood St. in West Monroe.

West Monroe Fire Chief Charlie Simmons says WMFD arrived on the scene and one person was able to exit the house out of a second-floor window. Firefighters rescued a woman from within the home and rendered life-saving aid. WMFD says she was transported to a local hospital last night, then later sent to the Lourdes Burn Center in Lafayette.

This morning, WMFD says she passed away from her injuries. Simmons says the fire was accidental and appears to be caused by a heater outside of the home in what looked like a sunroom. The fire then spread throughout the home. The other person inside the home sustained minor injuries.

West Monroe Fire and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating and no names have been released.

WMFD says they also canvas every street in West Monroe to make sure they have working smoke alarms and visible street numbers so firefighters can find it easier. They ask if people in the home have medical issues and they take that information down so firefighters can help people quickly if they ever respond to that home.

They call it the CARES program, which stands for Community Assets Regarding Emergency Services. They started doing this a few years ago, canvassing different neighborhoods in the city each month. This morning they say they have already canvassed a few neighborhoods, and tomorrow and the next morning they will as well.