Two killed in fire at Convent apartment

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 21, 2011

By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

CONVENT – Two people were killed after a fire ripped through a St. James Parish housing complex in Convent this morning.

Firefighters received the call about the blaze just before 1:30 a.m., said Assistant State Fire Marshal Dan Wallis. The fire affected eight housing units and displaced as many as 25 people. Parish Housing Authority Executive Director Dana Groover confirmed the names of the victims as Shirley Scott, 59, originally of New Orleans and Ray Mitchell, 53, of Lutcher. Groover said the residents were neighbors and good friends.

Wallis said there is still no clear cause, but said the Fire Marshal’s office is examining heating devices in the apartment where the fire began. He said all of the affected units had smoke detectors.

L’Observateur will have more on this story in Saturday’s edition.