NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – A two-alarm fire in the 2000 block of Hope Street has left at least five people homeless for the holidays.
The New Orleans Fire Department responded to the call just before 1 p.m., according to NOFD spokesman Capt. Edwin Homes.
Firefighters found a single-story, wood-framed shotgun double fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.
The fire quickly spread, and a second alarm was called as the fire branched out to surrounding buildings.
Neighbors assured firefighters that the buildings were not occupied, but a kitten was rescued from 2002 Hope Street, according to the NOFD.
Four adults and one child have been displaced by the afternoon blaze, which also claimed a vehicle parked in front of one of the houses. It is too early to tell if residents of a building that sustained water and smoke damage will be forced from their home, Homes reported in a statement.
Fifteen units carrying 35 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. The fire was completely under control by 1:40 p.m.
The American Red Cross has been requested to assist displaced residents with their immediate needs, according to the NOFD.