Duplex Fire On Southern Avenue Leaves 55-Year-Old Man Dead

An early-morning fire leaves a Shreveport man dead.  At around 1:45 this morning, firefighters were called out to a reported duplex fire in the 4600 block of Southern Avenue. 

They arrived within five minutes and found the two-story home with heavy fire and smoke coming from the front corner.  The blaze spread quickly to the upstairs apartment.  That's where firefighters found the 55-year-old man dead.  His name isn't being released yet. 

Investigators say the fire appears to have started on the second-floor porch and extended into the upstairs apartment.  That floor sustained heavy fire damage.  One man who lived downstairs escaped uninjured.  The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

This is the city's 5th fire fatality so far this year. Fire Department Spokesman Scott Wolverton sent us a list of the other four:

8/18 - 25-year-old John Johnson, 3029 West Cavett Drive

4/21 - 64-year-old Jeremiah Dudley, 3904 Eddy Place

1/6 - 53-year-old Terry Smith, 2800 Truly Lane

1/3 - 51-year-old Greg Mills, 603 West 83rd Street