NEW IBERIA, La — New Iberia firefighters put out a fire this morning and no injuries were reported.
"At 1:30 [a neighbor] was banging on my door, ringing my door bell, and say, 'There's a fire!'" Peggy Guidry said.
Hours before, Guidry said her neighbor asked her if she smelled something odd.
"She calls me around 9 and says, 'Are you baking something, I smell cinnamon?' and I'm like, 'Um no I'm not baking anything,'" Guidry explained. She said she then walked around trying to find the smell.
The owner told KATC that the smell was coming from a slow burning fire in the attic. Officials tell him that fire was started by lightning.
"I heard a loud crash, it sounded like two trucks colliding. After that I heard thunder, so I knew lightning hit something. I didn't realize it was this house," homeowner Barry Guillotte said.
The house is located in the 100 block of St. Peter Street. The 135-year-old home was divided into three apartments, with three families living inside. All three are now without a home.
Crews on scene say the house suffered major damage. The roof of the two-story building was destroyed.
Family members have set up a GoFundMe to help the families affected.
"This go fund me page is to help the residents of an overnight fire that occurred February 17th 2021 in the 100 block of St.Peter Street in New Iberia. The two story home housed three separate apartments. Although everyone made it out safely the fire and water damage has left the residents with little to nothing to start over with," the GoFundMe states. "They are asking for any monetary donation amount you may be able to spare to help them with housing costs, groceries and to purchase the bare essentials. They are also in need of items such as dishes, utensils, pots, pans, towels, and some furniture pieces."
You can find the GoFundMe here.
