Carrier spots flames, warns sleeping couple

• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Dec 3, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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FRENCH SETTLEMENT — A French Settlement couple believe they are blessed with a “miracle” because a newspaper delivery carrier decided to check on flames she spotted near their house early Sunday.

Debbie Amacker-Adams, 51, who has run the same 180-mile route in southern Livingston Parish delivering The Advocate for 12 years, awakened Evelyn and Ronald Picou and alerted them to a fire poised to spread through their house at 19385 Aydell Lane, French Settlement, fire officials said.

Roused from his bed, Ronald Picou was able to keep the fire down with a garden hose until firefighters arrived at 1 a.m. Sunday, officials said.

“Another five minutes, and it would have been a different situation. It (the fire) just got to a point where it was fixing to take off,” said Alan Guitreau, French Settlement Volunteer Fire Department chief.

Firefighters suspect coals from a smoker that were spilled on a deck may have sparked the fire, though the Picous hosed down the deck three times. The fire burned the deck and melted vinyl siding but never penetrated the house, Guitreau said.

Evelyn Picou, 67, said she and her husband consider the early morning warning a miracle. They live down a half-mile drive behind pastures in the Colyell Bay area, and the fire would not have been easily seen, if not for Amacker-Adams.

Amacker-Adams said she had noticed an orange glow when she dropped off the Picous’ Sunday paper, but thought it was a bonfire. Amacker-Adams does not normally go all the way to the Picous’ house.

Only after she had left their drive did she notice flames, which caused her to turn around to investigate and later warn the Picous.

“They’re calling me a hero, but you know, honestly, I feel I did what everyone should do,” Amacker-Adams said Tuesday.