Elderly woman and 20 pets found dead in fire

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KSLA) – The body of an elderly woman was found at the scene of a house fire next to several cats and dogs.

On August 30 at 5:44 a.m., the Shreveport Fire Department (SFD) responded to a fire emergency at a home in the 1400 block of East Kings Highway. The first firefighters on scene at 5:49 a.m. reported smoke and flames coming from the front door of the one-story home.

While battling the flames, an elderly woman (around 80 years old) was found dead next to the back door of the house at 6:11 a.m., along with several cats and dogs. According to sources, nearly 20 animals have been found in the house so far, but there may be more.

According to SFD, overcrowded buildings and crowded rooms were encountered on site, which worsened the fire and complicated search and rescue efforts.

19 emergency personnel were deployed at the scene of the fire.

This is the second fire death in the city of Shreveport in 2024.

No smoke detector was found in the house.

“The Shreveport Fire Department is urging all citizens to ensure their homes are equipped with working smoke detectors,” the SFD says.

There were no injuries to the firefighters in this incident.

If you need a smoke detector in your home, contact the Shreveport Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau at (318)673-6740.

The investigation is ongoing and further information will be provided as more information becomes available.

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