New Orleans Crews Battle Late Night Residential Fire

New Orleans firefighters responded late Friday night to a fast-moving blaze at a single-family residence that the owner said began on a back porch and quickly extended up the side of the home to the second floor.

The call for the blaze at 8000 Nelston St. in the Marlyville-Fontainebleau section of the city came in around 11:16 pm, with the first arriving company reaching the scene only two minutes later and finding the rear and left side of the two-story dwelling already heavily involved.

Three family members had safely evacuated the structure but informed firefighters that they believed their three cats were still inside. Unfortunately, two of the cats perished while the third was unaccounted for but believed to have escaped.

A second alarm was struck at 11:21 pm, and eventually sixteen units carrying 37 personnel responded before bringing the incident under control just under an hour later at 12:14 am.

There were no civilian or fire department injuries and the cause of the fire is now under investigation.