March 1, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Family Escapes House Fire

A Shreveport family was able to escape a roaring house fire last night at 5210 Ellison Street without injury. Officials said the 8:45 p.m. fire appears to have started in the kitchen. Dottie Jones, a guest of homeowner Doris Williams, 45, stated that she had turned the stove on in the home to heat some water. She then left the kitchen for a period of time when the home’s smoke alarm began to sound. Rushing toward the back of the home, Jones noticed smoke coming from the kitchen and alerted other occupants in the residence that there was a fire.

When firefighters arrived, flames, some shooting as high as twenty-feet in the air, could be seen coming from the back of the structure. There was so much fire and smoke initially, that fire crews thought that the next door residence at 5214 Ellison Street was also involved. That turned out not to be the case. As firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, it became apparent that the fire and smoke were limited to the lone structure at 5210 Ellison. Officials listed the fire under control at 9:15 p.m.

In addition to Jones and Williams, three other people were in the house, including two small children. Damage to the Mooretown residence was extensive and listed as heavy.

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