St. Mary Parish – State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies are continuing their investigation into a mobile home fire in Bayou Vista that took the lives of a man and woman and left another man injured. The incident also resulted in the deaths of two pets.
On Saturday, August 5, at approximately 7:45 a.m., the Bayou Vista Fire Department received a report of a fire at a double-wide mobile home situated on the 100 block of Jupiter Street. Responding firefighters discovered a severely burned man and a woman attempting to extinguish the flames outside, with both reporting two others still trapped inside. Upon further search, the responders found and retrieved the remains of another man from a hallway and a woman from one of the bedrooms. Meanwhile, the injured individual received transport to a nearby hospital for treatment and at least two dogs lost their lives in the fire.
Although awaiting formal identification and cause-of-death determination by the St. Mary Parish Coroner’s Office, preliminary information points to both victims as residents—an aged 28 male and an aged 38 female—of the home. After evaluating the scene and interviewing witnesses, SFM deputies believe that the fire originated in the living room but have yet to confirm its exact cause.
The investigation is ongoing, with collaboration between SFM deputies and St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Sadly, no working smoke alarms were present in this residence. Smoke alarms serve as vital life-saving tools during fire emergencies for any type of dwelling. To ensure preparedness, check that existing smoke alarms function properly or request assistance from Operations Save-A-Life for obtaining needed devices. For more details on Operation Save-A-Life or registering for a free smoke alarm, visit lasfm.org or contact your local fire department for free installation services.