Wheelchair-bound woman found dead in house fire

CATAHOULA, La. (KLFY) - The State Fire Marshal's Office (SFM) has determined that unsafe smoking practices are likely the cause of a deadly house fire that occurred in Catahoula over the weekend.

On Sunday, September 4, around 12:15 p.m., the Catahoula Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at the 4400 block of Catahoula Highway.

There, firefighters located the deceased body of a woman near the front door of the residence, stated authorities.

Her identification and cause of death are pending with the St. Martin Parish Coroner's Office. The woman is believed to be the 34-year-old resident of the home, stated the report.

After an investigation, the cause of the fire was determined to have started in the doorway area of the living room, where the victim was found. She was known to be smoking cigarettes.

Deputies also learned that the victim was wheelchair-bound and used an oxygen tank. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but unsafe smoking practices have not been ruled out.