Two Walker Elementary students, adult killed in fire at Denham Springs mobile home park
DENHAM SPRINGS — A man and two children were found dead after a blaze early Tuesday in a trailer park off Burgess Road in Denham Springs.
The Livingston Parish Fire Protection District No. 4 said it was summoned to a fire at the Denham Place Mobile Home Park shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday. While evacuating nearby homes, firefighters learned that people might still be inside a fully engulfed mobile home.
Inside the home, they found a man and two juveniles dead, and officials on Wednesday identified them as Nemo Romero-Diaz and his children Natalie, 10, and Jason, 9. The children were both students at Walker Elementary, the local school district said.
"School leaders are asking for the community's prayers and support for the family and friends, for the Walker Elementary community and the greater Town of Walker community," Livingston Parish Schools said in a statement. It said counselors were available at school.
Maria Estrella Villanueva, who lives in the trailer next door, described the blaze through an interpreter, Angel Gomez Santiago.
"The fire was huge, like immense. There was shaking around. She was in fear, screaming asking for help and knocking on other people's doors to see if anyone could help save the people inside the trailer, but there was no other help," Santiago said.
Villanueva says the she frequently saw the children who were caught in the fire.
Trending News
"They enjoyed playing around with other neighbors and their friends. Especially the kids. The dad was calm and a chill person. There was never any problem with them."
She said the fire department did not arrive immediately.
"It took a while, 20 minutes, which was a lot. Firefighters arrived but it was too late because the other trailer was catching on fire too and cars were exploding"
However, the fire department says they weren't alerted to the fire until the trailer was completely engulfed in flames.
“They say once they received the dispatch they were on scene within nine minutes.”
Villanueva's trailer also received substantial damage from the fire.
"Her house is basically destroyed. She doesn't have anything left. Broke apart and useless."
She says her family is now without a home.
The family is hosting a GoFundMe here.