[StBernard] 'Suspicious' fire destroys home in St. Bernard

[Westley Annis]

'Suspicious' fire destroys home in St. Bernard
by Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Times-Picayune 
Tuesday February 12, 2008, 8:21 AM
The St. Bernard Fire Department is investigating what they're calling a
"suspicious" fire that completely destroyed a home in Violet late Monday
night.

Investigator Charles Licciardi said that firefighters responded to a call at
10:46 p.m. at 2401 Edgar Dr., in a neighborhood bounded by East St. Bernard
Highway and East Judge Perez Drive. Before firefighters could extinguish the
blaze, it had "completely destroyed" a gutted-out home and a FEMA trailer in
front of the house, but had not significantly damaged anything else
surrounding the property.

"It was under control in 20 minutes and completely out in an hour,"
Licciardi said. He added that the residents, who were living in the trailer,
were not home at the time of the fire.

Investigators are calling the fire "suspicious" because the home had no gas
or electric utilities turned on. Both often cause fires.

"There was nothing in there except water," he said. "So it's still an open
investigation."

Deputies of the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office also responded but had no
further information.