Neighbor’s 3-hour hose effort praised as heroic before and during professional response
PORT ALLEN — A house fire on 13th Street Monday night displaced two residents—a father and son from the Dunn family—who were fortunately away from home when the blaze started around 8 PM.
The fire may have originated from an electrical lamp or the outlet it was connected to in the bedroom that was plugged into the wall. The flames traveled up the wall to the ceiling before spreading into the attic, creating dangerous conditions that required aggressive firefighting tactics.
Before fire crews arrived, neighbor Hampton Craig took immediate action to protect the structure. According to family member Carl Dunn, Craig “grabbed his hose pipe and stood there spraying water without stopping from 8:30pm till 11:20pm”—nearly three hours of continuous effort to help contain the blaze.
“This Man upon seeing the house (next door) ablaze, made sure my brother was safe, then grabbed his hose pipe,” Dunn wrote on social media, calling Craig’s response heroic and describing him as “more than a Son to my parents and more than a Brother to me.”
Fire crews conducted an interior attack on the flames and had to cut open the roof to the attic because “there was a hot spot still burning in there,” explained a neighbor familiar with the response. Roof ventilation is standard firefighting practice to access hidden fire and prevent further spread. Deputy Fire Chief James “Bean” Hartley led the coordinated effort that successfully prevented the blaze from spreading to adjacent homes.
The response drew praise from witnesses who observed the disciplined firefighting operation. “They all got on the right page, the same page, and did what they were supposed to do,” said one witness. “It wasn’t no one standing around—everybody was doing something last night.”
Community members specifically credited Hartley’s expertise during the emergency. “Bean definitely knows what he’s doing,” said one neighbor. “Without his help, I don’t know what they would have done. They did a good job last night.”
The professional response highlighted effective field leadership within the parish fire service, with Hartley’s coordination ensuring all personnel remained actively engaged throughout the emergency operation.
Entergy crews cut power to the structure as part of the coordinated emergency response. No injuries were reported.
Housing and Support Needed
The American Red Cross attempted to provide assistance but faced volunteer shortages, making multiple calls throughout the night seeking hotel accommodations for the displaced residents.
“She called four times last night, all the way up until 2 o’clock this morning,” said a witness, explaining that Red Cross representatives kept “asking can they find a family member to purchase them a room and they’ll reimburse them.”
The displaced family is seeking temporary housing assistance while working to secure longer-term accommodations. Those able to provide housing assistance can contact WBR Independent to help coordinate support.
Damage Assessment
The house sustained extensive interior damage with charred furniture and debris throughout. The bedroom showed the most severe damage where the electrical fault may have occurred, while other areas experienced primarily water damage from firefighting efforts.
Despite significant damage, the structure remains salvageable. “At least you got a structure to put back together,” noted one observer, adding that the solid construction means “it’s not total” loss.
The roof shows significant damage where crews cut ventilation holes to access persistent hot spots, and insulation throughout the house is saturated with water that will need time to dry out.
Community Support Organizing
The displaced residents are in immediate need of clothing donations in the following sizes: men’s pants 34 waist/32 length, size 34 shorts, 2X to XL shirts, size 11½ shoes, and socks. Donations can be dropped off at 750 Avenue G in Port Allen.
Community members are organizing donation efforts for the Dunn family. Those wishing to help can also contact WBR Independent for coordination of assistance.
First Baptist Church of Port Allen is holding a clothing giveaway this Saturday from 9 AM to 12 PM that may provide additional resources for the displaced residents.
Port Allen Mayor Terecita Pattan visited the scene to show support for the affected family during the emergency response.
This is a developing story. WBR Independent will provide updates on community support efforts and recovery progress as more information becomes available.
Story at WBRIndependent.com
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