DENHAM SPRINGS — A tragic string of house fires across Louisiana has left eight people dead in just one week, prompting urgent warnings from state fire officials about the critical importance of working smoke alarms.

In Denham Springs, a 65-year-old man died early Sunday morning when a fire ripped through his home. According to firefighters, there were no smoke alarms installed in the residence.

“When I got there, two others had already stopped,” Felicia Fitzgerald, a neighbor, said. “We could hear the man screaming for help, and all we could do was stand and listen.”

Thursday, in Lafourche Parish, a devastating blaze destroyed a home in Raceland, killing four people, including children as young as six. A 46-year-old woman survived but remains hospitalized. Investigators are still working to determine whether smoke alarms were functioning inside the home.

In total, five fatal fires occurred across the state within a single week, claiming eight lives, many in homes with no working smoke alarms.

So far in 2025, Louisiana has recorded 52 home fire-related deaths. That number is nearing the 57 deaths recorded in all of 2024.

"We want to know why, no smoke alarms. And we push that message constantly that smoke alarms do save lives, it reduces fire deaths by 50%, and three out of five fire deaths are in homes that don't have smoke alarms or don't have working smoke alarms," said Ken Pastorick with the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Smoke alarms are lifesaving devices, mounted on ceilings or walls, they sense smoke early and alert residents.

“They alert you, so you have those valuable seconds and minutes to escape,” the spokesperson added. “And hopefully save your life, or the life of someone you love,” Pastorick said.

The Fire Marshal’s Office is encouraging all residents to test their alarms regularly and replace batteries as needed. If a homeowner is unable to check the device themselves, they are urged to ask a friend, family member, or their local fire department for assistance.

“The cost of this is minimal compared to the loss of life,” the Fire Marshal said. “Life is valuable. This is inexpensive.”

Smoke alarms can be the difference between life and death, yet too often, they’re missing or not functioning. Officials are hoping this latest wave of fatal fires will serve as a wake-up call.