History Repeats: The Fires of Shreveport’s Past and Present

Image courtesy of J Snyder.

On the night of September 4, 1925, flames tore through the Allendale neighborhood of Shreveport in what remains one of the city’s worst fires. A simple hot water heater explosion sparked an inferno that devoured nine city blocks and left nearly 200 homes in ruins. The fire station sat just across the street, but a broken water main rendered it useless, forcing helpless firefighters to watch as Allendale burned through the night.

Though no lives were lost, hundreds were left homeless, their futures uncertain. The tragedy became a lesson in urban preparedness, fire safety, and the devastating consequences of infrastructure failures.

Yet, almost a century later, history seems to be repeating itself in a different form.

In Shreveport’s historic Highland neighborhood, fire crews now battle a new kind of blaze—one caused not by water heaters but by desperation. Abandoned homes, long neglected and left to decay, have become shelters for squatters, who use open flames for warmth and cooking. The result? A rising number of house fires, threatening not only the squatters themselves but also the surrounding homes and residents.

In just the past few months, multiple fires have erupted in Highland’s vacant houses, igniting frustration among homeowners who fear their neighborhood will suffer the same fate as Allendale nearly 100 years ago. Social media posts from residents express anger, concern, and a plea for action, with some calling the fires “preventable tragedies” and others urging officials to crack down on illegal occupancy before someone loses their life.

City leaders, much like those in 1925, now face difficult decisions. How do they protect vulnerable people while also preserving the safety of the community? Proposed legal changes would strengthen trespassing laws and empower police to remove squatters before the fires start—but legal red tape and property ownership disputes complicate the process. Meanwhile, every abandoned home remains a potential ignition point.

The Allendale Fire of 1925 left a permanent mark on Shreveport’s history. If leaders fail to act swiftly, will Highland’s fires of today leave a similar legacy?

Fire Station Remains - Image courtesy of J. Snyder