US

8 Homeless People Die in New Orleans Warehouse Fire

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A blaze in an abandoned warehouse in New Orleans has killed eight homeless people who were burning wood in a barrel to stay warm during a freezing night.

New Orleans Fire Department spokesman Greg Davis says firefighters could not tell the ages or genders of the dead. He says two survivors told firefighters how the fire started.

Temperatures dipped below freezing overnight in New Orleans.

Davis says the fire was reported just before 2 a.m., and the building was fully ablaze when the first truck arrived.

Survivors told firefighters that at least some of the people inside were unconscious. Davis says they might have been knocked out by carbon monoxide, which is likely to build up when anything is burned in an enclosed area.

The building was on the edge of a working-class residential neighborhood.

Comments (30)

  • Fina Biscotti
    Posted on January 7, 2011 at 2:41am

    This fire wherein eight young people died…..is truly sad.

    ****

    There is also another story/scandal in New Orleans…..that is not getting media attention = Dale Atkins as the Clerk of Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and Recorder of Mortgages…….has lost all of the real estate records…..in a “computer crash”……and loss of backup data…(!)

    The real estate market/industry has been at a complete standstill…..for a FEW MONTHS……no one can buy property, no one can sell their property……..and some properties have been foreclosed upon …..bc of the problems at City Hall.

    While Dale Atkins has always claimed it was just a computer crash……but could never define a time in which the problem would be handled…and everything would be up and running again…..now the truth is slipping out…..three server drives crashed, wiping out more than 150,000 digital mortgage and conveyance records and the only known indexes for searching for documents in book form. It was soon learned that remote backups had also been wiped out bc of a software problem.

    The company …..i365, a Seagate subsidiary….that handles the backup files…..blamed the problem on the New Orleans court computer tech….. for improperly loading software that prevented proper backups from being made.

    The Civil Court judges are sharing the costs of restoring the files….to cost more than $300,000 in overtime, extra staffing and contractual services.

    Some judges have blamed i365 for the loss of the backup data, while others believe the fault lay w the court’s technology staff.

    Some forensic testing is being done to determine the cause and origin of the malfunction.

    While Dale Atkins as the Clerk of Civil Court for the Parish of Orleans says she is eager to know the results of the investigation, she is scheduled to face questions from the New Orleans City Council.

    Dale Atkins’ Civil Court Computer Tech….Tynia Landry …..has disappeared. Atkins refuses to provide information on whether Landry was fired…or not.

    In this day and age of computer technology, are computer crashes considered a modern day version of arson?

    Report Post »  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:24pm

    We all make mistakes or bad choices in our lives. My Father used to say, “There but for the Grace of God, go I.” Oftentimes, people choose to say no to offered help. Their reasons for saying no are their own business. This is a shame that these people died. I pray that, somehow, the authorities will be able to identify the bodies & notify families.

    Report Post »  
  • thegoodvoter
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:51pm

    Eight plus the five from Miami equals 13. Well, at least it’s a start.

    Report Post » thegoodvoter  
  • Fina Biscotti
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:44pm

    The City of New Orleans has shelters for FREE.

    Transportation is provided by calling the New Orleans police Dept.

    Report Post »  
  • Fina Biscotti
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:36pm

    Not to make light of the situation…….but it is a group of SQUATTERS……who chose not to go to the shelters…….transportation was available to the shelters all day and night long.

    The squatters chose instead to break into someone else’s property…………set a fire inside the property…..and burned it down…..with their stupidity…….and drugs.

    They were in their 20′s, travel by jumping trains……and are not from New Orleans.

    This does not change the TRAGIC EVENTS……or the TRAGIC RESULTS of their choices.

    ******

    New Orleans has seen more of its share of “STORM CHASERS” ….after hurricane Katrina and Rita……first w ILLEGAL ALIENS for FREE SERVICES, bringing in drugs and a high influx of vicious criminals…… and then w SQUATTERS traveling to New Orleans looking for vacant houses and property to live in……..free of charge, while breaking into these buildings, destroying property…….panhandling on the streets……and causing harm to the communities that are trying to rebuild, revive.

    Just sayin’

    Report Post »  
  • RobHere
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:20pm

    That is sad.
    There are a lot of homeless that are not in that state due to drugs, or any action on their part. They are a victim of bad times, out sourcing, cost cutting, and things like that. Some will turn to drugs after being homeless I understand. I know that it can be that way with alcohol.
    I am not sure about the other readers areas, but here, the singe guy has it the hardest. All the programs seem to be for single woman with kids, and men with substance abuse problems. I know that the salvation Army will charge (if you can get in that is) for a place to sleep after a few weeks if you are a man. They last time I heard were charging 5 dollars a night. There is no way to get that if you have no means. Unless you panhandle. And people do not like that. And its discouraged. It has forced some to do things that they would not normally have done.
    I understand that certain ethnic group have taken over the local Salvation Army.

    There are a few other homeless shelters here with differing issues.

    One problem with over coming homelessness is the ability to get employment. There are not a lot of place downtown where all the homeless shelters are. And they have no money to get around. (Bus passes and fares) But the big problem is that they shelters make it hard for most people that need their help. You need to be in line for a toke for a bed at like 1:00 AM. An be in not long after, and then the doors are locked. And you much be out at a fairly certain time. Its hard to get, and keep a job. The rules the women with children seem to be more lax. They seem some places to get their own rooms, and allowed more flexible hours.
    The guys that can get a bed, and eat, can from what I can recall get a shower. But they have no way to wash clothing. And most will not shower as their stuff gets stolen when they take their eye off it, or when they take it off to shower. There is one place here that seems to help the men during the days during the week. And they can shower there. But they can only take a few guys a day. And they from what I can recall have shower monitors. But there still is not way to wash clothing, and they put the say old stinky stuff back on. This is during the day for a few hours.
    They will allow the guys to use there address to get mail, and phone to make calls.

    But as they have found, most all employers will not hire them as they do not have phone, and home address. But even if they could find someone that will hire them that they could get reliable transportation to, there is the fact that even if they did have a bed every night, (and they don’t) how can they work, and then get back to the shelter to get the token needed?
    Its not as easy as some of you seem to think. Its like the system works against them.

    And many people have disabilities. And they can not get the needed care for that. And I am not talking about drug abuse, or alcoholism. I am talking about mental and physical issues. Sometimes they can see someone at a clinic of they can get to it, but as far as medications go, that’s pretty much out. Sometimes they can get medicaid. And thats a help for the drugs, but they still need to come up with a co-pay these days. And thats impossible for more of them too. So many remain untreated. And get worse.
    And there are some women that do have a job, but do not make enough to make it on their own due to many factors. But most of the time these are jobs that they had before they became homeless. And many of these people still have some means of reliable transportation. And a shelter that will work with them. We have a church here that runs a shelter that bought a hotel, and the woman live there. And some have jobs around the place. They will run a few floors as a hotel, and rent them out to people coming in town I understand. I am not sure how well thats working out for them yet. Its still kind of new. The fought the city to open it. It seems that they have to fight the city for everything unless its in the worse areas.

    I just wanted some of you who had not really been around the life of the homeless to have some idea what life was like for them.

    Have a good new year.

    Report Post »  
  • rbagala
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:33pm

    This is a sad story but I must point to the constant use of “homeless” to those who in other nations would be called beggars.
    People are not judged by whether they have a home or not but what job they have or not. Doctor to house wife or domestic partner to retiree we are named by our occupation.
    These so called “homeless” people BEG for money during the day; therefor they are BEGGARS. Yes the good old USA has BEGGARS just like any other developing nation.

    Report Post »  
  • bookofwisdom
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:00pm

    I hope they are able to identify those who died in case there is family that needs to be notified. It’s bad enough wondering if family members are alive or dead, but to have nobody grieve for you or pray for you is so sad. May God Bless.

    Report Post » bookofwisdom  
  • cykonas
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:55pm

    I’m posting this after much thought. If it comes off as condescending please accept my apology up front.

    Additionally, I’m making the following assumptions:
    1. Most folks are here because of some association with a GB product.
    2. Most folks are here for good and productive reasons and intentions.
    3. Most folks here want a stronger America that is based on Constitutional principle.
    4. Most folks here love our country and system of government, but aren‘t happy with it’s direction.
    If any of these do not apply to you, then please skip the remainder of this post.

    I‘ve read every post that’s in here up to when I started writing. One poster, RoseofSharon gets it.

    I saw a few other posts asking what the church’s are doing or what can they do. WE ARE THE CHURCHES! Are we waiting for the church building to throw open it’s own doors and invite folks in? Is the pastor/preacher/priest/rabbi/imam/guru the one who’s responsible to initiate activity? (If I forgot some type of spiritual leader forgive my ignorance. Those are all I could think of on short notice)

    I saw posts asking what various secular organizations, food pantries, and the like are doing, or can do. WE ARE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS! Are we waiting for them to knock at our front door and invite us to help out?

    I saw posts asking what governments, at all levels, are doing about this. WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT! Are we waiting to see what the President/Governor/Mayor/Councilfolks are going to do?

    GB spent a lot of the month of December on Wilmington, Ohio. I didn’t see, or hear, all of his coverage but I saw quite a bit of it. Quite a story! I don’t know how many of them had heard of GB before recently, but those folks, like RoseofSharon, got it. What did they get? Please go to page one around the half way mark and read, or re-read, RofS’s posting. What is she saying? What have we heard GB say a bizillion times? It’s about PERSONAL responsibility. PERSONAL as in I, me, we, us. Not IMPERSONAL as in the church, the food pantry, the goverment, or them.

    PERSONALLY, I need to learn from ROS and GB.
    (All Caps in this post are merely for emphasis and do not connote yelling except where prohibited by law. Void in MA, MI, MN, VT, IL)

    Report Post » cykonas  
  • ilovethiscountry
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:58pm

    It is unfortunate that there people did not have a safe shelter to go to. I don’t know what I would do if I was homeless.

    Report Post »  
  • love the kids
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:54am

    Why are they being called homeless, they had heat and a roof over their head. Wait till they get fined for not having working smoke detectors.

    Report Post »  
    • dontbotherme
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:05pm

      Did you actually read the story or watch the video? They died. This is not funny.

      Report Post »  
  • GhostOfJefferson
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:51am

    That’s a very sad loss of human life. Do the Churches in New Orleans take in vagrants? I wonder about that sometime, the churches really need to step up and help the indigent in my view. Don’t get me wrong, I know many do, but I mean more than food pantries when extreme circumstances like sudden cold snaps happen. Just my opinion. If they do and I don’t know about it, sorry for being presumptive.

    Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • cykonas
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:35am

    I have been blessed, so far, in that I have never been homeless. I have never known hunger. I do volunteer work on a sorta-semi-regular basis. My takeaway from this story is that I need to do more.

    Report Post » cykonas  
  • kreese
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:30am

    This really is a a terrible thing. Maybe if we would get serious about drugs and alcohol, there would be enough money to take care of the truly needy.

    Clinton, why in hell didn’t you go after drugs instead of tobacco–yeah, I know, the lawyers would not have made all that money. I remember hearing Bob Beckel saying tobacco was worse than drugs. (said it on Crossfire)

    Washington: Is there anyone there, either side of the aisle, who has the balls to get up on either floor of Congress, and say what has to be done to save this country?

    Report Post »  
  • roseofsharon
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:47am

    We the people have a responsibility to help our fellow man, without the gov’t, without shame.

    I myself have seen some very hard times. I was helped by the community and found restoration. As for me personally, the gov‘t didn’t put me there (that I know of) and the gov‘t didn’t get me out.
    I hope stories like this one inspire others to help those organizations that are out there giving a helping hand. Private organizations and church groups like St. Vincent de Paul, who are out there helping the poorest of the poor. What a great way to start the New Year: donating time, money and material goods to those who need it most.

    If we can get to them before the gov‘t turns them into serfs we’ll all be alot better off!

    Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:07am

      Already do here in Phoenix.

      Mount of Olives Luthren Church – Food Closet. This year some 30 people have helped out over 22500 of those in need. Food and clothing for a hand up, not just a hand out.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Max jones
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:10am

      Generous and humble thinking Rose, I commend you.
      I also was brought back to life years ago by the generosity of a Christian organization. My problems were my own doing, as I believe most people’s problems are, and I thank God every day that I had the guts to humble myself before Christ. That IS what it takes, and that is what the progressives fail to understand. We cannot do it on our own, we need divine inspiration and divine intervention. Socialism, progressivism and communism maintain that man can save himself. This is the big LIE.
      Satan’s main target is Christianity. It is easy to discern who is working for the devil. If policy is not friendly to independent thought, PERSONAL salvation, and morality , it IS evil.
      All our current administration’s policies are EVIL, by this definition

      Report Post » Max jones  
  • seayalater73
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:46am

    It was a cold-snap in a southern state urban area where folks hardly worry about heat generation. That has gotten non-homeless people killed in the past, as well. All it takes is ingorance about ventilation. Bet it happened to plenty of early cave-dwellers. What is sad is that not a single one of the 8 dead or 2 survivors had the sense of self-preservation to say or do anything to prevent it. No government program can redeem that kind of shortcoming…

     
    • firstlast
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:52am

      I suppose if you had a healthy sense of self-preservation, you wouldn’t be homeless. Ignorance is not a conscious choice. You cannot blame the ignorant for being ignorant because they dont know they’re ignorant! (But hey, we dont need no stinking department of education, right?) And thats not taking into consideration the mentally ill. But in defense of the cold homeless people, homes have suffered the same tragic fate with space-heaters. This is a tragic occurence, and I blame is not appropriate; it would be like blaming Bush for hurricane Katrina. blameblameblamebalmeblame Its innefective and counterproductive. Like when children fight over something, theres no resolve when each side constantly blames the other.

      Report Post »  
    • seayalater73
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:11pm

      No, guy… the point is that what you spin as “blame” is really accountability. And it always falls to the individual who places themselves in these situations. There is no way around any of this. In the real world pain and death is a consequence of ignorance. My point was that it did not really matter that they were homeless. If you have ever stepped outside of CONUS you would see a whopping majority of humans still heat their homes in this fashion, and do not die of inhalation or burning themselves down. That we live in a society where the norm is to be clueless as to the basics of survival, whether we be rich or poor, is the real tragedy. One that my family and I will never suffer with the rest of you.

      Report Post »  
  • Rich HOffman
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:19am

    That is a very sad story. But I hope that the left does not use this incindent as a mandate for “social justice.”

    http://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:13am

    This Obama economy has created more homeless people than ever before. He is killing people by forcing them to live like this!
    How’s that lefties? I learned that rhetoric from you during the Bush administration.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • FED-UP-AND-READY-TO-TAKE-ACTION
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:27am

      Good point Gonzo. For those who have chosen to remove themselves from our system and are homeless that was their choice. For those who have simply fallen on hard times and have become homeless it is a shame. I too would not be to far from being homeless should I miss a couple pay days. Times are tough and going to get much tougher. More and more regular so called middle class are now fining them selves in this situation. Thanks to our government things are getting worse by the day. Pray for those who have fallen into this who once were working and doing the best they could until this economy took them under.

      The Constitution is not an instrument for government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government, lest it come to dominate our lives and interests. — Patrick Henry

      Report Post » FED-UP-AND-READY-TO-TAKE-ACTION  
    • cubber
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:56am

      Stay on ‘em GONZO. BE PREPARED.

      Report Post » cubber  
    • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:04am

      I wish peace and comfort to their surviving families.

      I have worked with the homeless many times, and according to stats of the National Coalition against Homelessness (they seek to help people who are homeless), only 1 in 30 on average are homeless by their own constant and active choice. Over half of the homeless in this nation are families, or single parents with children.

      This administration is showing just what we all will face under the wannabe tyrany of either Obama or Pelosi/Hillary (whichever of the two survive the fight).

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • snixy
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 3:50pm

      I live in New Orleans. This is not a government problem. This area is known for “filling your prescription without a prescription”. This area is not a “working class neighborhood”. This is yet another abandoned building occupied by drug addicts. Unfortunately, we have over 5,000 damaged buildings that need to be torn down due to flood damage. We are tackling the problem and 50 are torn down per month at the City’s cost. There were many empty free beds in warm shelters available for those in need that night. They chose to hunker down with their buds because you cannot do drugs in the shelter. We in New Orleans have tried and tried to get them free apts., free rooms, free shelters. Most choose to find locations that they can drink and do drugs throughout the night. It was their choice. The facilities were available. I belong to a neighborhood association that is tackling the blight, but it has been a hard struggle due to ownership laws. Flood damaged homes abandoned by untraceable owners rot in place in many neighborhoods. Not all problems can be solved by the government, and should not be. Some people do not want the help of the Church, because it hinders their lifestyle. I have known “homeless” people, and believe me – it was their choice. They just wanted to be “free to do what they wanted”, and did not want family or friends to tell them what to do.. All shelters do not allow cigarette smoking or drinking on premises. My three cats made it through the night and the night before. It was the cats choice to be outside, not mine. The same with these stupid people. They made stupid choices, and paid the price.

      Report Post »  

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