Shreveport Records First Fire Fatality of Year

A pre-dawn fire has  claimed the life of a Shreveport man -- the city's first fire fatality of 2012.  Just before five this morning, firefighters were called to the 4300 block of St. Louis in the Hollywood Heights neighborhood.  They found a one-story, wood-frame house engulfed in flames and learned that the man who lived there might still be inside.  After they had the flames under control and were able to enter the house, firefighters found the man's body near a rear bedroom.  Further investigation has revealed that the man and woman of the house got out safely but the man went back in to look for two children.  As it turned out, those children had escaped on their own.  Cause of the fire has been traced to the kitchen -- possible to burners on the stove left on to heat the house -- but it remains under investigation.  No names have been released.