Latest news with #NewOrleansAdvocate
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fire decimates Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana: What we know so far
Crews continued to douse water onto Louisiana's Nottoway Plantation on May 16, local media reported, a day after a devastating fire broke out at the mansion. Photos published by local outlet WVUE showed the home, which dates back to the antebellum South and was once home to slaves, had virtually been ruined by the fire that sparked in Iberville Parish on May 15. The blaze began sometime around 2 p.m. local time and no guests were present at the time, according to the New Orleans Advocate and WBRZ. In a Facebook post on May 15, Chris Daigle, president of Iberville Parish's government, said there were no injuries reported in the fire. "Today, Iberville Parish mourns the loss of one of its most iconic landmarks," Daigle wrote, adding that the site dates back to 1859 and is the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South. The estate had been used as a museum and wedding venue prior to the fire. "The loss of Nottoway is not just a loss for Iberville Parish, but for the entire state of Louisiana," Daigle said. "It was a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance." USA TODAY has reached out to the Iberville Parish Fire & Emergency Services Department for comment. Nottoway Plantation sits on a 31-acre property in White Castle, a town in Iberville Parish. The house was built in 1859 and owned by prominent Louisiana planter John Hampden Randolph, according to Louisiana State University. The property housed Randolph's family as well as his slaves. Prior to the blaze, the property was used as a museum and wedding venue. In addition to the property's main mansion, there are several ballrooms, cottages, a tennis court and other amenities on site. "While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue," Daigle wrote on Facebook. Contributing: Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nottoway Plantation fire: What we know about Louisiana mansion blaze
USA Today
16-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
Fire decimates Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana: What we know so far
Fire decimates Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana: What we know so far Show Caption Hide Caption Texas fire captain Marvin Taylor III dies in Mother's Day car crash Killeen Fire Capt. Marvin Taylor III died in a car crash after leaving an Austin hospital after the birth of his fifth child at around 1 a.m. on May 11. Fox - 7 Austin Crews continued to douse water onto Louisiana's Nottoway Plantation on May 16, local media reported, a day after a devastating fire broke out at the mansion. Photos published by local outlet WVUE showed the home, which dates back to the antebellum South and was once home to slaves, had virtually been ruined by the fire that sparked in Iberville Parish on May 15. The blaze began sometime around 2 p.m. local time and no guests were present at the time, according to the New Orleans Advocate and WBRZ. In a Facebook post on May 15, Chris Daigle, president of Iberville Parish's government, said there were no injuries reported in the fire. "Today, Iberville Parish mourns the loss of one of its most iconic landmarks," Daigle wrote, adding that the site dates back to 1859 and is the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South. The estate had been used as a museum and wedding venue prior to the fire. "The loss of Nottoway is not just a loss for Iberville Parish, but for the entire state of Louisiana," Daigle said. "It was a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance." USA TODAY has reached out to the Iberville Parish Fire & Emergency Services Department for comment. What is Nottoway Plantation? Nottoway Plantation sits on a 31-acre property in White Castle, a town in Iberville Parish. The house was built in 1859 and owned by prominent Louisiana planter John Hampden Randolph, according to Louisiana State University. The property housed Randolph's family as well as his slaves. Prior to the blaze, the property was used as a museum and wedding venue. In addition to the property's main mansion, there are several ballrooms, cottages, a tennis court and other amenities on site. "While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue," Daigle wrote on Facebook. Contributing: Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Nottoway Resort Plantation fire: Massive blaze ‘might be the end' of White Castle mansion
A devastating fire erupted at the historic Nottoway Resort Plantation in White Castle, Louisiana, on Thursday. Significant damage was reported to the mansion-turned-resort. Aftermath videos and photos from the scene showed a burned-down mansion and fire crews working. The blaze, reported around 2 PM local time, began on the second floor and spread to the south wing and third-floor attic, according to local outlets WBRZ and the New Orleans Advocate. No guests were present, and no injuries were reported, but the full extent of the damage remains unclear as firefighting efforts continued into the evening. Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle told WBRZ that staff noticed smoke before finding a room engulfed in flames. Approximately 40 firefighters battled the fire, which consumed parts of the south wing. Daigle noted that the mansion's phased construction may preserve the central structure, offering hope for partial restoration. Read More: Albuquerque fire: Large structure blaze erupts near Montaño and Edith | Video The Nottoway, built in 1859 by enslaved labor for planter John Hampden Randolph, spans 31 acres and features 40 rooms, tennis courts, and iconic white columns overlooking the Mississippi River. Its three-story Rotunda and oak-draped lawns are a historic draw, per the resort's website. The Iberville Parish Fire & Emergency Services Department has not yet commented. The fire's cause is under investigation, and officials are assessing the structural impact on this National Register of Historic Places site. "This thing was built in 1859, now we might just see the end of it," Jordan Ward, a deputy with the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office, told The Advocate. According to local media reports, the White Castle Fire Department responded, Plaquemine, Bayou Goula, and other Iberville Parish municipal fire services responded to the fire. St. George and Baton Rouge and other departments arrived to assist as well.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
2-year-old TikTok star 'Okay Baby' killed in car crash in Louisiana
Two-year-old Preston Ordone, known on TikTok as the "Okay Baby," died in a car crash Thursday, according to Louisiana State Police. Preston's parents, Katelynn, 25, and Jaelan Ordone, 27, were seriously injured, officials said. The cause of the crash is under investigation, state police said. Officials said that they responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 12 shortly before noon Thursday in St. Tammany Parish and that a preliminary investigation determined a 2011 Ford F-150 veered off the road and struck a tree. Authorities said Preston was "improperly restrained in a child safety seat." He died at the hospital. 'Louisiana State Police stress that proper restraint use significantly reduces the risk of serious injury or death in a crash,' authorities said. 'The proper use of seat belts and child safety seats can be the difference between life and death.' Preston's grandfather Glen Norris told the New Orleans Advocate newspaper on Friday that a witness at the scene had told him the toddler's car seat was properly restrained. Norris called the state police's post 'hurtful and painful.' In a statement online, police said that they understand how difficult news releases of crashes can be for everyone involved but that they are necessary to inform the public, raise awareness and dispel rumors. 'Our goal is never to add to the pain, but rather to fulfill our responsibility in this age of information,' it said. Norris did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Katelynn Ordone, who has more than 400,000 followers on TikTok, began posting videos of Preston in 2023. Preston, often in overalls, became affectionately known online as the "Okay Baby" after Katelynn Ordone posted videos telling him not to do something, with him sweetly replying 'OK' and proceeding to do the act anyways. In an update on Katelynn Ordone's TikTok account Sunday, relatives said that she had multiple broken bones and that Jaelan Ordone had undergone emergency surgery, in which pins and rods were placed in a leg. The family's 7-year-old daughter, Paisley, was in school at the time of the crash, a relative said. The family started a GoFundMe page for medical expenses, with more than $30,000 raised by Monday. "Preston had captured the hearts of many online with his joyful spirit and endearing videos, becoming a beloved figure on social media," the GoFundMe page says. "His untimely passing has left a profound void in the lives of his parents and the community that cherished him." This article was originally published on
