Abbeville man dies in overnight mobile home fire

Published 5:55 pm Thursday, March 10, 2022

By STAFF REPORTS

State Fire Marshal deputies learned the victim was wheelchair-bound and utilized an oxygen tank. While the exact cause is still undetermined, deputies have not been able to rule out the possibility of unsafe smoking practices as a primary contributor to the fire.

VERMILION PARISH- State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies continue investigating the circumstances surrounding a mobile home fire that claimed the life of a male resident.

Just before 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 10, the Abbeville Fire Department responded to a report of a residential fire located in the 1800 block of Bud Private Drive. Firefighters learned there were two occupants in the home at the time of the fire. The female homeowner was able to escape, but a male resident, unfortunately, died in the fire.

While official identification and cause of death are pending with the coroner’s office, the victim is believed to be a 33-year-old friend of the homeowner who frequently stayed at the home.

Deputies learned both residents were asleep in the mobile home when the female occupant woke up to strange sounds and the smell of smoke. She then woke up the male occupant to alert him to the danger before escaping out of a window. However, the man never emerged from the home.

Following an assessment of the scene, deputies have determined the fire began in the living room of the home. At this time, the official cause of this fire remains undetermined.