Shreveport Pastor Says Vagrants Repeatedly Broke Into Country Club Before Fire

Shreveport fire investigators will be back at the scene of a massive fire at the historic Shreveport Country Club. They are trying to determine the cause of the blaze that completely destroyed the property.

More than 75 firefighters battled the blaze on Saturday afternoon. But the historic property was deemed a total loss.

The country club building has been part of the neighborhood for more than 115 years. Ownership of the property was transferred to Winner’s Circle International, a nonprofit outreach run by the Shreveport Community Church in 2008

Pastor Denny Duron and the Shreveport Community Church spent close to a million dollars renovating the property in an effort to bring it back to life. But those efforts were not successful. The club closed its doors permanently in 2016.

What Happened with the Property Since 2016

The property was put up for sale for more than $4 million dollars, but no serious buyer was ever approved. There was some talk about a possible mixed use neighborhood development, but the funding was never found for this project.

Shreveport Fire Chief Responds to Fire

Chief Clarence Reese Jr. says “our firefighters have answered every call, including the two-alarm fire at the historic Country Club. To every member of the Shreveport Fire Department: thank you for showing this city what true resilience looks like. I'm so proud of you!”

READ MORE: See the Restaurants in Shreveport that Have Closed this Year

Pastor Denny Duron Responds to Tragic Fire

Pastor Duron tells KEEL News he was out of town when he was notified about the fire. He says there have been several problems with vagrants at the complex. He says they have secured the property each time they have discovered vagrants, but they still find a way in. He also tells us they have repeatedly called police about the problem with squatters.

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What Happens Now with the Country Club?

Pastor Duron says there was no insurance on the property. He says the non-profit group carried only liability insurance. So this means the Winner’s Circle Group and his church will have to step up to demolish the property and handle the clean up. He will be working with his team to get that done as soon as possible.