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

Kelvin J. Cochran, Fire Chief

September 1, 2002

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

Teen Dies in Afternoon House Fire

A Shreveport teenager died this afternoon after he was pulled from a burning two-story garage apartment by firefighters who tried desperately to save his life.

The fire department received the first of several frantic 911 calls at 2:36 p.m. reporting the fire at 2745 Lindholm Street and that someone was inside. When the first firefighters arrived just minutes later, the entire second floor of the building was rolling in smoke and fire.

Greeted by family members in the yard and cries of a child in the residence, firefighters raced up an outside staircase into the flames. As they fought through heave flames and smoke, Captain Scotty Hammond led his crew to a back bedroom where they found 16 year old Randy Saxton motionless on the floor. All four crew members then took hold of the victim and raced through a fiery hallway without a hose line and water and to the safety of an outside door. There other firefighters and paramedics were waiting to treat and race the youth to LSUHS Center. Despite their efforts, doctors at LSUHS Center pronounced Saxton at 3:01 p.m.

According to the father, James Saxton, 63, the family, which included his wife and four other children (all boys 4, 5, 11, and 14 years of age) had just returned home after church when the fire broke out. The older Saxton said that the family had come home and changed clothes and everyone was outside in the yard enjoying the day except for Randy, who had opted for an afternoon nap. Moments later, Saxton said the house was on fire and he attempted to get his oldest son out but could not get through the flames of the only door into the second floor. Saxton said he then tried to go around to the back corner, where Randy’s bedroom was located, and call out. There was no answer.

Firefighters and paramedics said that Randy Saxton’s body was badly burned from the waist up and that he never displayed any signs of life while in their care. Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the fire but no immediate findings were released. According to the family, the home had no smoke detectors. ###