March 18, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

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

South Highland Homeowner Narrowly Escapes House Fire

Gene Rogers, 60, had fallen asleep on the sofa in his South Highlands’ home at 450 Albert Avenue when he was awoken by a popping sound around 2:20 a.m. this morning. Seconds later Rogers was on his knees trying to escape the dense smoke in the residence and find a way out of his home that he now knew was on fire. When Shreveport firefighters arrived at 2:23 a.m., Rogers was gasping for breath on his front lawn and flames and smoke were billowing out of the east side of the structure.

Fire crews from the department’s Youree Drive and Oneonta Street stations battled the blaze using an aggressive interior fire attack method. Interior fire attacks push the fire and smoke out of the home through the area already on fire and not the unaffected areas, thus minimizing property damage. Assistant Chief Mac McCoy listed the fire under control at 2:56 a.m. Fire investigators believe the cause of the fire was an unattended candle left burning in the master bedroom, the origin of the fire. Rogers was treated for smoke inhalation and cuts and bruises to his legs by department paramedics. He was not transported to the hospital.

Rogers was home alone at the time of the fire. His wife, Sonja, 53, was at work but arrived as firefighters were overhauling the residence. Both tearfully mentioned that their 2-year-old Yorkshire Terrier was missing - Sonja commenting that she (the dog) always slept in the master bedroom. As firefighters made a second sweep through the residence to find the pet, the Rogers feared for the worst. Minutes later, the scared and shaking Terrier appeared in the driveway of the home. Checked-out by owners and fire department paramedics, other than scared and carrying a smoke odor, the Terrier was said to be fine.

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