PORT ALLEN — West Baton Rouge Fire Department crews responded to a mobile home fire in the 1300 block of Freeman Lane late Wednesday morning, deploying multiple units to battle the blaze in the residential neighborhood near the Mississippi River levee.
Units were dispatched shortly before 11:35 a.m. to reports of a trailer on fire. Engine 2 arrived first and found heavy smoke and fire conditions at the single-wide mobile home, according to Operations Chief Brad Waldrup. Command was established on scene at 11:49 a.m.
Crews made entry and worked to knock down the fire while additional units staged along Freeman Lane. Firefighters located hydrant connections on the street and stretched supply lines to maintain water supply for the attack.
The department deployed a significant response, with Engine 2, Engine 4, and Engine 6 all responding along with Rescue 1, Rescue 4, Medic 4, and command staff. West Baton Rouge Parish Water and Gas also responded to secure utilities at the property.
Fire was reported knocked down and under control shortly after noon. Crews then transitioned to overhaul operations, working to extinguish hot spots and check for fire extension within the walls and roof of the structure. Smoke continued to rise from the mobile home as firefighters pulled ceiling and wall materials to ensure the fire was fully out.
The incident was terminated at 12:23 p.m.
The home’s occupant, John Eric, was not home at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported. The Red Cross has been notified to assist Eric with displacement.
Neighbors gathered along Freeman Lane as crews worked, watching the response unfold in the quiet residential area.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Freeman Lane response marks a contrast to a December 7 structure fire in Erwinville, where dispatch records showed a single firefighter worked alone for 11 minutes before backup arrived. That fire, on the rural north end of the parish, resulted in a total loss.
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