(LA State Fire Marshal) – Deputies with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal continue to investigate an apartment fire in Jonesboro that claimed the life of a teenage boy and sent his mother and 4-year-old nephew to the hospital.

Around 6:15 pm on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, the Jonesboro Fire Department responded to a call for an apartment fire located in the 200 block of Oaklawn Drive. Firefighters discovered that a family of four had been in the home during the time of the fire.

As a result, a 52-year-old woman was badly injured while attempting to extinguish the fire. Additionally, her 17-year-old son was unable to escape. A 4-year-old boy was also injured. He, along with the woman, and his grandmother was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The four-year-old’s mother was uninjured. The child has since been released from the hospital, but at this time the woman remains in critical condition. Additionally, all the units in the complex that adjoined the apartment were destroyed.

After assessing the scene and conducting witness statements, deputies have determined the fire was started in the living room of the residence. The exact cause of the fire is still being investigated.