By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — A local apartment fire as changed the lives of a family who has been trying to get help after losing everything.

Janie Williams, previously of 1312 Cartier Drive Apt. C in LaPlace, watched as her life belongings burned at 4 a.m. on Monday.

“I was sleeping,” Janie said. “My daughter came and woke me and said the house was on fire. I jumped up, but I couldn’t see anything from all the smoke and my chest was hurting. I ran downstairs and went outside.”

She said she was in the house with her daughter, her daughter’s friend and her twin grandsons. Her other children that live there were not home. Luckily they all managed to escape the apartment and call 911 on a cell phone.

Janie said the girl staying with them has allergies and she was the one who woke up after a reaction to the smoke.

“My daughter went to the neighbor’s apartment to tell them,” Janie said.

Danyell Miles lived at the apartment next door with her two children.

“I had just went upstairs,”

Miles said. “She started banging on the door and I saw the kitchen on fire.”

Janie said the fire department seemed to take forever to get there.

“The LaPlace, Reserve, Garyville Fire Departments showed up, ” Janie said. “The LaPlace and Norco Sheriff’s Departments did too, but by the time they came, the fire was worse and the windows were already popping.”

Both apartments had extreme fire, water and smoke damage. Janie’s apartment burned completely and nothing was left. Danyell’s apartment was completely burned upstairs and in her kitchen, which was damaged due to the fire coming completely through the wall. Her living room was left unharmed.

Danyell said after the fire someone got into her apartment and stole her refrigerator, microwave and DVD player.

Janie said the fire department said they were not sure of the cause of the fire, but believe it to be electrical. The LaPlace Fire Department was unavailable for comment.

“I stayed at a friend’s house for a couple of days,” Janie said. “I am now staying at my sister’s house. The Red Cross gave me a voucher for $539 for Wal-Mart and they are paying for two days at a hotel.”

Janie said there were no apartments available were she used to live and hopes to find somewhere to live soon. After the fire, Janie went to many friends and neighbors and tried getting help, but was not successful.

“I lost everything,” Janie said. “It is just so hard. I need help. I will not turn down anything.”

Janie needs everything, furniture, clothes, appliances, the works. Anyone interested in helping Janie and her family may contact her at 985-210-6577 or 985-651-4839 or send donations to 1960 Rebecca Lane in LaPlace.

There were seven people living in the house including, Janie, her daughters Toyanna (16) and Janikian (19), sons Ralpheal (18) and Dhaquille (13) and twin grandsons Dante (3) and Deante (3).

Janie needs clothes in size 16 and size 10 shoes. Her daughters need sizes 5-7 in juniors and size 18 in misses and size 6 ? and 8 ? shoes. Her sons need 32 and 34 waist size pants, large and extra large shirts and size 9 and 10 shoes. Her twin grandsons need 4t to 5t clothes and size 11 shoes.

Donations for Danyell Miles and her two children can be sent to 249 Chad B. Baker St. in Reserve or contacted at 651-7396. Her two children are age 5 and 7 and need clothing in sizes 5 to 7 and 12 to 14. She also needs bedroom furniture.