OUACHITA PARISH (April 10, 2023)- State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies are continuing their investigation into a house fire in Monroe that claimed the life of a 4-year-old boy.

Just before 5 a.m. on Saturday, March 25, the Monroe Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire located in the 4000 block of Lee Drive. When firefighters arrived, they learned there had been 11 people in the home at the time the fire was discovered and all had escaped except one. Unfortunately, the body of a 4-year-old boy was later found in a bathroom.

At this time, following an extensive investigation, deputies have determined the fire began in the home’s kitchen. However, deputies are unable to confirm an exact cause as they are unable to rule out potential electrical malfunctions or unattended cooking as contributing factors.

Deputies learned some of the children in the home discovered the fire and then alerted the rest of the occupants. When the family was accounting for everyone outside, they discovered the 4-year-old was missing.

The SFM emphasizes the importance of having a practiced home escape plan for every member of your family. This plan should include knowing two ways out of every room in a home and having a safe place outside for everyone to meet and call for help. This escape plan must become familiar and comfortable to children as an alternative to their hiding out of fear. An ideal time to practice these escape plans is when you test your smoke alarms once a month.

On the topic of smoke alarms, deputies did find a smoke alarm in the home, however, survivors report not hearing it sound as an alert to the danger. Smoke alarms save lives and our Operation Save-A-Life partners with local fire departments to install FREE smoke alarms for families that need them most. To learn more about Operation Save-A-Life, or to register for a free smoke alarm, visit lasfm.org or contact your local fire department to request a free smoke alarm installation.