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Alderman presses fire chief after resident alleges slow response to house fire; chief cites timestamps and State Fire Marshal origin finding
Summary
Alderman Vernon Martin raised concerns about a delayed fire response to a house fire at 909 North Avenue A and alleged equipment problems; Fire Chief provided dispatch timestamps showing the first engine en route within 11 seconds and on scene in about 1 minute 18 seconds, and investigators later cited electrical splitters as a likely cause per the Louisiana State Fire Marshal.
Alderman Vernon Martin publicly questioned the Crowley Fire Department Sept. 9 after a structure fire at 909 North Avenue A, saying witnesses reported problems with hose hookups and equipment that delayed firefighting.
Martin said he had multiple eyewitnesses and asked for an executive‑session review but was told the open‑meetings rules and legal advice required the discussion be in public. "What took y'all so long?" Martin said while describing the scene and his personal concern over the response.
Fire Chief Lewisville Merrill and incident narratives provided a timeline and operational account. The chief said dispatch timestamps show the alarm at 13:51:52 and that the first engine was "en route within 11 seconds" and arrived about 1 minute 18 seconds later. Captain and crew narratives in the department's report describe deploying hand and crosslay lines immediately on arrival, charging the hose line without kinks, conducting an interior attack, and later performing overhaul as other service engines assisted.
The incident report said the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's office was contacted for assistance and that the origin and cause were determined to involve multiple electrical splitters used for air conditioners and other appliances. The chief read the incident narrative aloud during the meeting and said crews performed as trained.
Martin said he intended to gather witnesses and press the issue further; city legal counsel explained the narrow statutory exceptions for executive session and the committee did not move into closed session. The fire chief invited the alderman to provide videos or eyewitness names for review.
Next steps: Chief and staff will preserve and review the incident record; committee members and the mayor encouraged submission of any additional witness evidence for follow‑up and clarified the department's recorded timestamps will be used in the review.
