Photos & Story by
FRANK JORDAN
St. Tammany, Louisiana Fire District 4
St. Tammany Fire District 4, in Mandeville, Louisiana responded to a call
for smoke coming from a structure at 2025 Lakeshore Dr. at 06:05 July 13,
2002.
First arriving company advised heavy smoke showing and initiated an
attack through the front entrance of the building with two 1 3/4" attack
lines.
The attack crews reached the kitchen area and did a good job of
knocking down the fire in the area, but the fire had already reached the
second floor and was extending to the attic.
Attack crews advanced to the second floor and were able control the fire's
advance at that point.
The crews were gaining access to the attic area when
the intensity of the fire and heat on the upper levels of the restaurant
became overwhelming.
The ceilings, walls, and floors were built of pine and
cypress, which created a formidable fire load for the already exhausted
firefighters.
An emergency evacuation of the structure was ordered. The
second floor flashed over within seconds of accounting for all evacuated
personnel.
Flames were through the roof within minutes and an exterior
attack was initiated with large diameter hose lines and an aerial apparatus.
The fire was quickly knocked down, which enabled interior crews to return
and extinguish the hot spots still remaining.
The building was built in the 1830's by Bernard DeMarigny and served as his
residence and gambling house during that era.
The building has served as
different restaurants for the past 50 years. The Bechac family of
Mandeville has owned the building in excess of a hundred years according to
historians.
The Bechac family will determine whether the building will be
restored once it is determined whether it is structurally sound.
50 firefighters, 5-1250gpm engines, 3 ambulances, 1 aerial apparatus, 1
heavy rescue, and 1 hose tender were used on the incident. Five
firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and released to return to
duty.
The fire was controlled an hour and forty-five minutes into the
incident.
The investigation into the cause and origin of the fire concluded that a
natural gas fueled boiler, used for cooking seafood, was left on after the
restaurant had closed for business the previous night.
Early morning
bicyclists discovered the fire and initiated the call to 911.
