Story By Brian A. Crawford
Photos By Todd Olague

It didn't take long into the new year before Shreveport firefighters were battling their first house fire. The initial call reporting the fire at 1115 Janther Place came into 911 at 8:22 a.m. and stated that children may be in the home. Flames accompanied by heavy smoke were already pouring from the two-story Highland home when fire crews arrived, prompting officials to call for an additional company of firefighters.

Firefighters entering the sprawling home, near Mall St. Vincent and Interstate 49, found rooms in both the downstairs and upstairs ablaze. While one company attacked the downstairs in a search and rescue effort, another was sent to the upstairs bedrooms and later the attic area. Firefighters concentrated on just extinguishing the fire when information became available that the family that occupied the home, Joe and Kay Thompson and their two children, had left yesterday to visit family in Hot Springs, Arkansas. After 30 minutes of fierce firefighting, fire crews were able to stop the fire from reaching the west end of the structure and breaking through the roof. Officials listed it as under control just before 9:00 a.m.

After the fire was extinguished, firefighters were startled to find a 6 foot boa-constrictor snake hiding in the top of an upstairs bedroom closet. Firefighters retrieved the snake with a pike pole and later learned that it was a family pet that had apparently gotten out of its cage in an attempt to escape the fire. It did not appear injured, however two of the family's dogs, a Sharpe' and a Boxer were lost.

No injuries were reported to civilians or firefighters. Fire investigators have not yet determined a cause of the fire but believe it started in the downstairs livingroom. Dollar fire-loss estimates are expected to be over $100,000.