Times-Picayune
Copyright 2007 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company
TERRYTOWN, La. — Three people were injured in a house fire early Wednesday, the Terrytown Volunteer Fire Department said.
Firefighters were notified around 3:40 a.m. of the fire at 841 E. Lexington Ave. when several neighbors called to report it, Deputy Chief Robert Masson said.
The two-story brick home was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived, Masson said. The homeowner, Paul Holmberg, 64, and two men staying at the house were injured trying to escape.
Holmberg told investigators he was watching TV in the back of the house when he heard a crash at the front. When he went to check on the living room, it was completely on fire, as were the steps leading to the second floor. Holmberg alerted the other people in the house and got out through a window, cutting his arms in the process.
Several people were trapped upstairs and had to jump from the second floor to escape, Masson said.
Johnnie Moor, 44, received second-degree burns to both hands and forearms, while Mark Garcia, 49, suffered minor injuries. The two men are contractors who were staying with Holmberg, Masson said.
It took firefighters close to 45 minutes to get the fire under control. Damages were about $180,000, Masson said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The American Red Cross issued vouchers to the inhabitants for lodging, food and clothing.