Just two days after a massive fire tore through the Shreveport Country Club, firefighters are still battling hot spots.
Putting those out has been tricky; they’re buried deep beneath all the debris, making it hard to reach.
That’s why construction crews on Monday were tearing down what’s left of the building to clear the way so firefighters can get to those hidden embers.
Thick, black smoke could be seen for miles as the Shreveport Country Club caught fire around 3:45 p.m. Saturday.
โThe debris from the building was flying in our yards. You don’t think you’re going to walk outside and see something like that,โ said Denise Simon, who lives across the street.
Simon and her family have lived near the club for years. She says firefighters got there fast, but onlookers made it tough for them to get through.
โI thought they’d be able to contain it โฆ but it’s taking a lot longer than I expected,โ Simon said. โThey were still pouring water this morning.โ
More than 75 firefighters worked for hours to get the flames under control, and Fire Chief Clarence Reese says the job isn’t over yet.
โThere’s a subfloor we’re trying to get to,โ Reese said. โHeavy equipment is being brought in so we can reach what collapsed onto the floor. That’s the only way to make sure the fire’s completely out.โ
Reese says the cause is still under investigation, but he and neighbors believe it was not an accident. โI think it was some teenagers,โ Simon said. โA few nights ago we heard glass shattering, police were out here that night too.โ
Shreveport police confirm they’ve responded to six calls about trespassers at the abandoned country club in the past month, though no one was found during those checks.
In a statement, owner Pastor Denny Duron said he is thankful no one was injured and is working with investigators to determine what happened.
Neighbors are thankful no one was hurt, but now they’re left to deal with the aftermath. โIt affected our air conditioning unit and a neighbor’s down the street,โ Simon said. โIt blew a circuit or something, but thankfully, that can be fixed.โ
There’s nothing left of the Shreveport Country Club, but scorched grass, piles of debris, and a lot of memories.
