MONROE, La. – An early morning fire rages out of control in West Monroe. A two-story home on McClendon Ave burned to the ground around 1:45 a.m. on March 31, 2021.
When it was all said and done, one person was injured and a home was burned to the ground, The fire also spread to nearby businesses.
What once was a two-story home is now a pile of debris and lost memories. The home housed 8 people. The West Monroe Fire Department says one resident was airlifted to Ochsner LSU Shreveport.
Nearby businesses, Jones Electric suffered minor damage, but Two Warriors Meadery suffered significant damage. The meadery makes wine from honey. It’s the first meadery in Louisiana.
The owners of the meadery, Curtis Sims and Cameron Myers, are both Army veterans They opened the business two years ago. It’s gut-wrenching for them to look at their hard work now a pile of ashes.
“It’s a total loss. The structural steel is warped. Everything that’s not burnt has heavy smoke damage on it,” Sims said.
They say the community has come out in full force to support them.
“My phone has not stopped ringing,” Myers said. “That’s why I love this community. They have reached out and people I don’t even know have reached and want to help with anything we need. I’m very grateful for everyone in this community.”
Sims and Myers are looking forward to arising out of the ashes which is already drawing a new name for the business.
“Just be ready to drink mead when we come back stronger. Somebody suggested that our next mead out is the Phoenix. I think that’s appropriate,” Sims said.
“I’m pretty sure myself and my partner are both dedicated to this community. We’re dedicated to this state. We are going to rebuild and come back better than ever. Just keep on the lookout for us,” Myers said.
There’s no word on the cause of the fire, but it’s still under investigation.
