28-Year-Old Found Dead After Fire at Vacant Lafayette Hotel
LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL-FM) - A man killed in a late-night hotel fire in Lafayette has now been identified.
Victim Identified as Levi Sahn
The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Levi Sahn of North Dakota. According to family members, Sahn had been living in Lafayette for about eight months prior to the fire.
Fire Breaks Out at Vacant La Quinta Hotel
The blaze broke out just after 11:20 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, at the vacant La Quinta hotel in the 2100 block of Northeast Evangeline Thruway. Firefighters with the Lafayette Fire Department responded to reports of flames coming from the roof and arrived to find heavy flames coming from a second-floor section at the rear of the building.
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Crews battled the flames for about 30 minutes before bringing the fire under control. At least 10 rooms sustained fire damage.
Officials say it was apparent that homeless individuals had been staying inside several rooms of the vacant hotel. During a search of the damaged area, firefighters located Sahn inside one of the second-floor rooms where investigators later determined the fire originated.
Investigation and Cause of Death
The Lafayette Parish Coroner’s Office ruled the cause of death as inhalation of products of combustion. His death has been classified as an accident.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire officials and the Lafayette Police Department.
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