NEW ORLEANS, La. (WGNO) – A terrifying start to the day for several families Uptown. New Orleans Firefighters are calling the fire on the 1400 block of Constantinople “suspicious” saying someone may be to blame.
“A tenant called hysterical and said the house was burning down, and we were just terrified because it wasn’t our immediate family, it was a tenant,” says James Patterson.
Firefighters say the blaze started inside two vehicles parked nearby and quickly spread to the home
Firefighters say the blaze started inside two vehicles parked nearby and quickly spread to the home where eight people were sleeping. Patterson tells us the now charred SUV parked in the driveway belonged to Mario, and the minivan parked across the home, on the street, belonged to Mario’s wife.
“It appears that someone broke the window of the car, threw a firebomb in the car. The fire of the car set the house on fire, and my son-in-law said that he was just awakened by an orange glow and heat and smoke,” says Patterson.
The couple’s room is now visible from the outside as most of the walls have turned into ashes. We’re told tenants on the third floor escaped by running down stairs that were already on fire. Tonight those stairs are non-existent.
The ATF, police, and state fire marshal are investigating. Mario Zervigon has a long history of working on several key campaigns including a few this election year.
“Why did they choose these two cars? It really gives someone cause to think. Was this revenge? Was it? But we don’t know of anyone who had anything in for anyone,” explains Patterson.
It took 26 firefighters roughly 30 minutes to get the fire under control. One of the firefighters was taken to the hospital for fatigue. No one inside the home was injured, but three cats were killed.
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