January 29, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Kitchen Fire Causes Heavy Damage to Werner Park Home

Fire Officials - "Could have been a lot worse"

Shreveport firefighters were summoned to 2847 Randolph Street last night at 12:25 a.m. for a house fire that appears to have started in the kitchen. When crews from the fire department’s West 70^th and Fair Grounds stations converged on the small wood frame residence, smoke was pouring from a side door and windows.

According to Fire Captain Robert Hammond, firefighters had to brake through the barred side kitchen door in order to enter the residence. Once inside, firefighters found that the fire had for the most part extinguished itself due to lack of oxygen. "There was very little actual fire when we arrived but the heat and smoke in the home was overwhelming," says Hammond. So much so that even though the actual fire damage was confined to the kitchen area, several appliances in other rooms were melted due to the heat. Because all of the homes doors and windows were closed, the fire ran out of oxygen before it could reach an outside source. If the fire had broken through a door or window, it could have possibly leveled the structure. Fire officials listed the fire under control at 12:40 a.m.

The occupant of the residence, Kim Bogan, 32, was not at home at the time of fire but arrived as firefighters were entering the structure. Bogan told fire investigators that he had fried fish earlier that evening. Investigators believe this may have led to the fire but have not released an official finding. No injuries were reported to firefighters or civilians.

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