No Injuries Reported After Fire Near Evangeline Thruway

Firefighters with the Lafayette Fire Department had their hands full for quite a while yesterday afternoon. The reason? A  fire at an abandoned building on Sixth Street at Chesnut Street near the Evangeline Thruway.

The structure, former home of Freedom House of Acadiana, was reported to be vacant at the time the fire was reported. Lafayette firefighters say the building had been boarded up to prevent anyone from entering.

Crews battled the stubborn blaze at the wood-framed three-story structure for more than four hours. It took firefighters about an hour to actually bring the blaze under control. The structure did sustain heavy damage. A brief inspection after the fire was extinguished determined that the building was unsafe and there were concerns about the possibility of an additional collapse.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. If you have information on this fire and how it may have started you're encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 232-TIPS or the Lafayette Fire Department at 291-8716