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Crews battle blaze at historic New Orleans home with Mardi Gras ties
NEW ORLEANS - Fire officials say a historic home in New Orleans is considered a "catastrophic loss" after a massive fire Wednesday morning.
— NOFD (@NOLAFireDept) February 20, 2019
The blaze broke out at 7:44 a.m. in the 2500 block of St. Charles Avenue, according to WWL-TV. Reports say, firefighters rescued an elderly woman from home while everyone else escaped safely.
Authorities believe the fire started in the basement, but the cause will not be known until a full investigation has been done. New Orleans Fire Department Superintendent Timothy McConnell told WWL-TV the fire likely funneled up through the middle of the house, up several floors and eventually to the roof.
Crews evacuated nearby buildings as the fire intensified and burned a hole through the roof and surrounding three canopies.
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— NOFD (@NOLAFireDept) February 20, 2019
The three-story Victorian-style mansion is one of the places where Rex, the King of Carnival, stops to toast on Mardi Gras. The home has been a toasting point along the route for the Rex parade since 1907.
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