Holden mobile home fire kills mother, daughter
A mother and daughter died in a mobile home fire in Holden early Wednesday, but the father and three other children were able to escape, state Fire Marshal Butch Browning said.
Elizabeth Ballard, 31, and Michelle, 7, were pronounced dead at the scene by the Livingston Parish coroner.
The blaze started just after 12:30 a.m. at 25520 Hob Hodges Road, Browning said.
Browning said although the cause of the fire was under investigation, it did not look suspicious.
“There were no smoke alarms and multiple space heaters were being used in the home at the time,” Browning said.
Browning said the father tried to get the whole family out of the home, but couldn’t.
The father and three children, whose names were not released, were taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, Browning said.
All four of the children attended Holden School. Michelle was in the first grade, and had siblings in kindergarten, fifth and sixth grades, Principal Paula Green said.
“It’s been a hard day,” Green said. “I know the family well, a very loving, large family.”
The school had counselors meet with faculty members Wednesday morning to develop plans for addressing the tragedy with students, Green said.
The school was collecting donations to assist the survivors, Green said.
“We have all leaned on each other, cried together,” she said.