Shreveport Firefighter Hit by Vehicle While Battling House Fire

Shreveport firefighters responded to a report of a house fire in the 100 block of Pierre Avenue this evening. Upon arrival fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the residential duplex. The call was received at 5:32pm and SFD firefighters were on the scene three minutes later.

The residence suffered heavy damage and is a total loss. During firefighting operations an SFD firefighter was struck by a vehicle while stretching a hose line to connect to a nearby fire hydrant. The firefighter suffered only minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation as a precaution. The motorist that was driving the vehicle was also evaluated by Shreveport Fire Dept. EMS.

It is unclear, if anyone was home when the fire began. At the time of this press release no other injuries have been reported in connection with this incident. The cause of this fire is currently under investigation.

Every three hours, someone in the U.S. dies in a home fire. And if a fire breaks out, you only have minutes to escape. Is your family prepared? The Shreveport Fire Department reminds you that where you put your smoke alarms matters; install working smoke alarms on each floor, in hallways, living areas , inside all bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.

The sooner you hear an alarm, the more time your family has to escape. Test alarms regularly, replace them if they’re more than 10 years old, and develop and practice an escape plan with your family. It’s these Smart Choices that could save lives.

SFD also wants to remind people about proper space-heater safety in the colder months to come:

HEATER CHECKLIST

• Purchase a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory.

• Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people.

• Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.

• Place the heater on a solid, flat surface.

• Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over.

• Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic. Never block an exit.

• Keep children away from the space heater.

• Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.

• Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to    bed.