Arson suspected in Madisonville camp fire

By Chad Ruiz
St. Tammany News
Published on Monday, June 23, 2008 10:07 AM CDT

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Arson is suspected in the fire that burned the last camp near the Madisonville Boat Launch earlier this week.

Monday afternoon around 5:30, Fire Protection District 2 crews arrived at the abandoned camp off Main Street to find the structure completely involved in flames.

Chief Mike Stein said his crews immediately began a defensive attack on the structure because it was deemed a safety hazard.

After nearly an hour of battling, fire crews had the fire mostly extinguished but they remained on scene for the next several hours spraying the building down for hot spots that remained undetected under the collapsed roof.

“We basically worked continuously for several hours because the problem we were facing was the high wind kept igniting the debris,” Stein said.

Even though the structure was balanced on pylons, Stein said fire crews were unable to gain access under the camp because of instability reasons.

Currently, the cause of the fire is under investigation with arson being the main culprit.

“Since it was vacant and had no power running to the facility since Katrina destroyed it, of course arson is suspected,” Stein said.

The owner has yet to be contacted because he is out of the country.

Stein also thanked FPD 12 for manning the station while his crews were fighting the blaze.

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Comments

No comments posted.

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. They review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The St. Tammany News is not liable for messages from third parties.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
* Personal Information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in thesttammanynews.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the St. Tammany News. The St. Tammany News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized St. Tammany News spokespersons.

Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.