Squatters suspected of burning trash inside an abandoned building on Jackson and St. Thomas Streets set fire to the building prompting a response from the New Orleans Fire Department.
The fire reportedly started sometime before 8am.
Responding NOFD units reported heavy smoke was pouring from the top floor of the building
The first NOFD Company arriving at the scene immediately struck a second alarm.
Several squatters living in the structure stated one female was still in the building somewhere.
Fire crews searched all levels of the structure but were unable to find the missing woman.
The woman was found two blocks away safe.
A mattress and piles of trash was burning in a hallway.
Sixteen NOFD units carrying forty-four Fire Operations personnel were used to bring this incident under control 8:30am
There were no injuries reported and the cause of the fire was trash burning in a hallway.