The Louisiana State Fire Marshal's office says a woman died Saturday following a fire in Ville Platte.
Deputies say that at around 1:00 p.m. December 11, 2021, the Ville Platte Fire Department responded to a call for a duplex fire located in the 5600 block of Vine Street.
A woman was later discovered dead inside the home. The identity of that person has not been released, pending cause of death and identification with the Evangeline Parish Coroner's Office. The victim is believed to be a 62-year-old resident of the unit where the fire started.
Investigators say the fire began on the couch where the victim was located. They say the woman, who was disabled, was also a heavy smoker, and can't rule out improperly discarded smoking materials as a likely cause of the fire.
Deputies were able to locate smoke alarms in the home, but they were not in working order due to the batteries being removed.
An investigation is ongoing.
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