Watch CBS News

Child Starts Fire That Damages Home

ST. CHARLES, Ill. (WBBM) -- A west suburban fire official says a tragic house fire yesterday points out why parents need to do everything they can to keep children from playing with fire.

St. Charles Assistant Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet says $150,000 in damage was done to a house and its contents on 11th Avenue yesterday.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780's Bernie Tafoya reports

Podcast

He says the fire was started by a 6-year-old boy who was playing with a butane grill lighter in a garage.

Schelstreet says, statistically, the 5- and 6-year-old age group has a "higher incidents of fire setting than most fire-setting by children."

He says that although butane lighters, like those used to light cigarettes and charcoal grills, are child-resistant, that does not mean they are childproof.

Schelstreet says parents whose kids have shown an interest or curiosity about fire can sign them up for juvenile fire-prevention programs sponsored by their fire departments. Those are programs designed to teach children about how dangerous fire really is.

In yesterday's fire, no one was injured.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.