801 Crockett Street, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101
318/ 673-6655 ● FAX: 318/ 673-6656 ● www.shreveportfire.org

Kelvin J. Cochran, Fire Chief

April 19, 2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Local Restaurant Damaged in Late-night Fire

Shreveport firefighters responded to a local restaurant last night after a criminal alarm was set off and police investigating, found the business on fire.

Fire communications officers at Caddo 911 received a call from a security company reporting numerous motion sensor alarming at the Madison Park El Chicos, 4015 Fern Avenue, around 11:40 a.m. When police officers arrived, they saw smoke coming from and inside the building and called for the fire department.

Firefighters entered the building from the front, Fern Avenue side, and were immediately enveloped in thick smoke. Making their way through the building in search of the fire, they were able to find and confine the blaze to the office area. Because of the alerting of the motion detectors, there was some early concern that there may have ben someone inside of the business. After completing a search and rescue of the structure, fire crews found no one. Officials believe that the restaurant’s sprinkler system may have triggered the sensors. Management at El Chicos said they had last left the restaurant at 10:30 p.m. and that the building was secure.

Fire investigators have determined that the fire, which heavily damaged the office and left smoke remnants throughout the business, was started when a night shift employee emptied an ash tray into a trash can in the office. ###