Fire officials sound alarm over kids & lighters

KSDK-- Fire officials say two fires, Saturday, were started by children playing with cigarette lighters.

On Osage in St. Louis, fire officials say a six-year-old boy playing with a lighter sustained minor burns, when the shirt he was wearing caught on fire. Family members were able to get the shirt off the boy before he was severely burned.

In St. Charles, a single mother and her six children were put out of their apartment home on Lindenwood Avenue, after a six-year-old accidentally set his mattress on fire.

John Gordon is assistant public information officer for the St. Charles Fire Department.

"He was lighting little pieces of paper on fire and putting them out," said Gordon, "and he inadvertently set the mattress in the room, on fire. That, in turn, got it over to the window and got the curtains on fire. He was using a cup to throw water on it which by that time had grown beyond that point."

Gordon pointed-out that it is human nature for a kid in that situation to try to cover up what he has done, literally adding fuel to the fire.

"He did everything on his own to try to put it out, by using a comforter and materials in the room," said Gordon. "Children will think they can just walk away from it; it will go away on its own."

These two examples sound a cautionary alarm for parents.

"Teach your kids," said Gordon. "Don't leave anything lying around. As far as matches and lighters and such, keep those away in cabinets or out of children's reach. Emphasize with your kids-- fire is nothing to play with. Fire will get you in trouble. Fire will get you hurt."

In the St. Charles fire, American Red Cross officials came to the rescue, providing the mother and her six children with shelter Saturday night. American Red Cross officials in the St. Louis area respond to 1200 cases, a year. This time of year, Red Cross officials are emphasizing smoke detectors, and extra care with space heaters.