CFD Responds to Glenwood Springs House Fire

From Central Fire Department
    The value of properly installed and maintained smoke detectors has been demonstrated once again in Central. Another Central resident was awakened by sounding smoke detectors and discovered his home was on fire in time to safely escape the growing flames.  Central Fire Chief Bill Porche stated the outcome of this fire could have been very tragic had the residence not been equipped with working smoke detectors.
    CFD Deputy Chief Charles Mondrick stated the Box Alarm was dispatched February 17, at 11:06 p.m. for a house fire in the 16800 block of Glenwood Springs.  According to Mondrick, crews on the first engine and rescue truck knew they were in for a long night when they could clearly see the fire as they were leaving the Donnybrook station.  Firefighters arrived to find a seriously deteriorating situation with one home having heavy fire blowing through the roof and radiant heat from that fire about to ignite the two next door homes.
    Firefighters were met by Baton Rouge Police Department Officer Phillip Duke who was returning home after his shift.  Duke told firefighters the occupant of the home that was on fire had self evacuated and he had assisted the occupants from one neighboring home when he noticed it smoking.  This information allowed firefighters to concentrate on quickly controlling the fire and keeping the neighboring homes from erupting into flames.  
    Mondrick stated the home that initially caught on fire suffered heavy damage and one of the neighboring homes suffered melted siding and broken windows.  The other neighboring home suffered minor damage.  Chief Porche urged all residents to check their smoke detectors and to have an escape plan for their home.