4-Year-Old Playing With Lighter Starts Apartment on Fire

The boy was referred to Salem Fire Department's Juvenile Firesetter Program.

Photo courtesy: Chris Riffle/Salem Fire

(SALEM) - The Salem Fire Department responded to a call of an apartment fire at the Logan Place Apartments at 4303 25th Ave. NE at 12:10 PM on Saturday.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing in the end unit of a 2-story townhouse.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and contained it to the bedroom before it spread to the remainder of the apartment.

The two residents, a mom and her son had evacuated prior to firefighter's arrival.

The fire started in an upstairs bedroom.

The cause of the fire was determined to be the 4-year old playing with a lighter, which started the mattress on fire. The estimated damage to the apartment is $15,000.

The juvenile was referred to Salem Fire Department's Juvenile Firesetter Program.

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"The cause of the fire was determined to be the 4-year old playing with a lighter, which started the mattress on fire." Why have lighter except for cigs ?? ANY kind... Never shows up in statistics about death-stick consequences for some strange reason, but probably causes as much dollar damage and deaths as smoker's air-pollution affecting all of us.

Four years old? Would you bring a three year old? How about the adult keeping matches and lighters out of the kids reach? Wait till the kid is a little older or at least don't scare him.

It's too bad the family is suffering in material loss of their possessions. However...It's great news that there is a Juvenile Firesetter Program, available for training/counseling and the possibility of future referrals to other needed and sometimes necessary supports. Let's just hope that Mom takes her son to this wonderful resource that is available.

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