crime

Death in burning ‘man cave’ shed ruled a homicide

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Firefighters made a tragic discovery on Jan. 15 while extinguishing a one-alarm fire in the Leonidas neighborhood: Larry Williams, 64, was found dead inside a burning shed. The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office made another discovery during Williams’ autopsy: The cause of death was not smoke inhalation. Williams had been shot to death. “Based on this development, the signal for this incident has been changed to a homicide,” the New Orleans Police Department confirmed Thursday (Jan.

fire

Man dies inside burning ‘man cave’ shed

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A man died Sunday evening (Jan. 15) while trapped inside a burning shed behind a Leonidas house, the New Orleans Fire Department reported. 
A resident of the home told the NOFD that he and his friend used the shed as a “man cave” and had been watching a game inside. The resident had gone in the home, smelled smoke and called 911. 
At about 7:45 p.m., the Fire Department received the call of a fire in a one-story wood-frame house at 9042 Cohn St. When they arrived, they found a wooden shed aflame. The fire had spread to the house, and responders were receiving reports of a person trapped inside the home. 
The searched the house and found no one inside.

Christmas Eve fire breaks out in Irish Channel home

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A two-alarm fire damaged an Irish Channel home on Christmas Eve, the New Orleans Fire Department reported. Firefighters rescued a dog from the home, the NOFD said. No one else was at home when the fire broke out. The New Orleans Fire Department arrived at 2710 Constance St. at 6:26 p.m. on Saturday (Dec.

fire

Fire breaks out in Audubon Street apartment building on Thanksgiving morning

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A fire broke out in a University area apartment building on Thanksgiving morning (Nov. 24), the New Orleans Fire Department reported.  The building’s tenants had all escaped safely before the NOFD arrived. Flames were coming out of a third floor window when firefighters arrived at 624 Audubon St. at about 10:50 a.m. They searched the building to make sure all occupants had evacuated, while other firefighters attacked the blaze from the inside to get ahead of the fire. The third-floor attic apartments, including the unit where the fire had started, were occupied on Thursday morning.

fire

Two dogs, three cats rescued in Irish Channel fire that displaces three households

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Two dogs and three cats were rescued from a burning triplex in the Irish Channel on Thursday (Oct. 6), the New Orleans Fire Department reported. The fire displaced three residents. Firefighters were called to the wood-frame building at 822-28 Toledano at 12:39 p.m. Nine units with 29 firefighters arrived at 12:44 p.m. and found a blaze extending from the attic of 822 Toledano. It quickly spread through the attic to the other units.

fire

Austerlitz Baptist Church heavily damaged in fire

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A three-alarm fire broke out in the Austerlitz Baptist Church on Friday morning (Sept. 9), the New Orleans Fire Department reported. Firefighters arrived at 9:24 a.m. to find heavy smoke billowing from the rear of the church at 819 Austerlitz St., a block from Magazine Street in the Touro-Bouligny neighborhood. Two people said saw a “ball of fire” coming from a pipe when they turned on the lights, the NOFD said. The fire climbed through the walls into the attic.

fire

Early morning fire displaces three Jena Street residents

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A fire in the 1800 block of Jena Street displaced three people early Sunday (Aug. 28), the New Orleans Fire Department reported. A 911 call reported the fire at 5:10 a.m. The NOFD arrived at the scene and found flames emanating from the rear of single-story shotgun double at 1818-20 Jena Street. The residents had all evacuated safely. The firefighters determined that the blaze began in a backyard shed and quickly spread to the house.

fire

Four-alarm fire damages two houses near St. Charles Avenue in Central City

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A house on First and Baronne streets burst into flames early Tuesday (July 19) and spread to a two-story double next door, according to the New Orleans Fire Department. A 911 call reported the fire just before 2:30 a.m. The first NOFD unit on the scene found an apparently blighted building heavily engulfed in flames that had extended to neighboring homes. They struck a second alarm at at 2:33 a.m. and a third alarm at 2:40 a.m.

As the fire spread to the two-story wood framed double next door, firefighters looked for the occupants. The building’s owner stated that he’d contacted the residents and that no one was home at the time. A small dog was reportedly rescued from the burning double.

fire

Early morning fire overtakes three vacant Hollygrove houses

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Three vacant Hollygrove houses went up in flames early Wednesday (May 18), the New Orleans Fire Department reported. People, who were believed to be squatters, were seen escaping the fire. At 6:16 a.m., nearby residents placed a 911 call  reporting a vacant home on fire at 3031 Eagle Street. Arriving on the scene a 6:22 a.m.,  firefighters found three vacant homes on fire and immediately struck a second and third alarm to contain the spread. The three homes were vacant and had no  utilities.

fire

Fire ravages five homes at Freret and Delachaise

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A fire that broke out Saturday afternoon (April 30) at the corner of Delachaise and Freret streets displaced 16 people, according to media reports. Five homes were significantly damaged in the fire. The New Orleans Fire Department received the call about 12:30 p.m. and arrived at 2505 Delachaise St. to find the home engulfed in flames. The Fire Department said dead foliage and tree limbs between the five homes helped the fire spread quickly, causing significant damage to four surrounding homes.