NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — An investigation is underway after a fire burned inside an abandoned building in New Orlean’s Bywater neighborhood.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 31, NOFD responded to the 4400 block of Dauphine Street. The building, a 7-story structure, once housed a Naval Support Facility but has since been used as a shelter by local people who are homeless.
When they arrived, emergency crews located a blaze at the back of the building. NOFD reports abandoned structures commonly pose a risk of people being trapped inside, which was the case on Thursday.
One man was rescued with a fire ladder from the third floor of the building. However, officials say the man left the scene before he could be medically evaluated and questioned about how the fire may have started.
No other people were found inside the structure.
An early investigation revealed the fire started on the second floor of the building and spread to the sixth floor before crews maintained control of the blaze.
With 8 NOFD units and 25 firefighters, the fire was placed under control just after 12:30 p.m.
No injuries were reported in the response. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.