Fire destroys temporary home in Abita

An Abita Springs family started the new year with dismay when a metal building that served as a temporary home went up in flames Dec. 30.

It happened just after 1 p.m. at 74403 Peg Keller Road. The family was about to begin construction on a permanent home nearby and had turned the 30-foot by 50-foot building into makeshift living quarters.

According to Assistant Chief Perry Junek of St. Tammany Fire District 7, the family had just departed for a holiday trip to Mobile, Ala., when a neighbor spotted the blaze.

“They were already on their way but turned around and came right back,” said Junek. “They got there about the same time we did.”

Junek said the fire appeared to have started near the clothes dryer then spread to an area serving as a child’s bedroom and the master bedroom. While the fire was contained in about half an hour, Junek said the rest of the building sustained heavy smoke damage.

“They didn’t lose everything, but the damage is pretty extensive,” he said. “I’d guess it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 to $30,000.”

Junek has notified the local Red Cross of the family’s loss, which he said is a common practice in these types of cases.