March 6, 2003

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Asst. to the Fire Chief
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Overnight Fire Sends Two to Hospital - One Critical

Two people were burned, one seriously, in an overnight fire that left their Anderson Island home partially destroyed.

Firefighters were called to 3026 Dallas Street around 3:11 a.m. for a reported house fire. When the first rescue companies arrived, they found the single story residence pouring smoke and flames from the front and one side of the structure. The two occupants, 46-year-old Leonard Fleming and Janice Johnson, 44, had already escaped but not before sustaining injury. Firefighters rushed the two to a medic unit where they were treated by department paramedics for their injuries. Fleming sustained second and third degree burns to more than 50 percent of his body involving his arms, back, and head. Fleming also suffered from lacerations to his feet where he told fire officials he kicked out a window to escape the fire. Johnson’s burn injuries to her arms and back were less severe, first and second degree, and were estimated by paramedics to be at 10 percent of her total body surface area. Both were transported to LSUSHSC. Leonard is listed in critical condition and Johnson was said to be in fair condition.

The fire, which fire investigators say started from an electric space heater, started in a front room of the home and quickly spread throughout the home because of a significant fire load. Investigators said that the residence had two to three times the amount of combustible materials found normally in a home, namely clothing and other fabric materials, in the rooms fueling the blaze. Before firefighters were able to bring the fire under control at 3:41 a.m., it had consumed the living room and two bedrooms and had broke through to the attic.

Fire officials once again warn about the dangers of leaving space heaters unattended and too close to combustible materials. Just nine days ago a fire started by an electric space heater that consumed a Mooretown home sent a 67-year-old to the hospital. On January 28, an elderly couple narrowly escaped a fire that heavily damaged their Cedar Grove residence but not before sustaining smoke inhalation and burn injuries. ###