UPDATED: Fire blamed on child play

Thursday, March 13, 2008 12:39 PM CDT

Journal Times staff

RACINE — A 3-year-old girl playing with a lighter started a fire Wednesday in her bedroom. Racine firefighters were called to 1422 Carlisle Ave. just after 2:30 p.m. The flames were extinguished quickly, but the home did sustain about $5,000 in damage.

No one was injured.

Lt. Brett Haller said two twin 3-year-olds were playing in a second-floor bedroom. One of them lit a baby doll on fire. He said the girls’ father heard them coughing and met them on the stairs of the house. It was then that he saw black smoke and heard the popping noise of the fire.

The children and their father got out of the house and called 911.

Haller said the home has smoke detectors, but they weren’t working. He said this fire is a reminder to people to change the batteries in their smoke detectors. Haller said it is also a reminder to adults to keep lighters and matches in a safe place, away from children.

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