Engulfed in flames

That distinctive smell of ash lingers in the humid air, while an eerie silence hangs overhead.
The house that is situated on the corner of Calcasieu and West Hickory Streets in Ville Platte remains taped off days after a blaze claimed the life of the man who called the house his home -- James Malveaux.
The siding along the side of the house is melted beyond repair while an air conditioner unit somehow hangs out of what used to be a large window. The front porch is blackened with soot as remnants of a couch remain, and the umbrella that used to cover the picnic table in front of the house has been destroyed.
The only sound that can be heard is the small breeze that is swaying the window blinds in a broken window.
As investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office continue to examine the facts surrounding the fire that occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, Malveaux’s neighbors Daren and Shelia Dennis took time on Monday to share what they saw on Sunday morning.
“Some people passed by our house and they came back and banged on our door because they saw smoke,” Daren remembered. “I thought that I better get the door open and check on him but there was too much fire and smoke in the living room. I couldn’t get in there. That living room was gone. It was engulfed in flames.”
According to a report by Chief Deputy Brant Thompson, with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Ville Platte firefighters responded to a report of a house fire at 724 Calcasieu Street where they discovered smoke and flames venting from the wood-framed home.
During the firefighter’s suppression efforts, the body of James Malveaux, 62, was located within the home, which had been damaged by the fire. After a detailed examination by investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the victim’s body was released to the Evangeline Parish Coroner for an autopsy to be performed, where an official cause of death will be determined.
After searching the home, investigators established that the fire started within the southwest portion of the home where a number of possible heat sources were located. The official cause of the fire, however, has not been determined at this time and the investigation continues.
As investigators try to figure out what happened, friends and family members will be paying their respect as Ford & Joseph Funeral Home in Opelousas will be handling the funeral arrangements. No date has been set as of press time for the services.
The Dennis family remembered the man they saw and spoke with nearly every day over the past years.
“He was a very nice man,” neighbor Daren said. “He would help you with anything. If there was anything you needed help with he would be there.”
Added Sheila, “He was a swell man. He was very friendly. It is a shame what happened to him.”