[Press Release] : Early evening fire damages apartment; juvenile playing with lighter sparks blaze

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Battalion Chief Steven E. Sapp - Public Information Officer -
(573) 499-7035

Early evening fire damages apartment; juvenile playing with lighter
sparks blaze

COLUMBIA, MO (February 4, 2009) - The Columbia Fire Department
responded to a report of a fire at 2300 Parker Street, Apt 15 of Kitty
Hawk Apartments, around 6 p.m. on Wednesday Feb. 4. The apartment was
occupied by Gladys Sanders and her juvenile grandson. Fire crews
reported a plume of smoke visible from the Business Loop while
responding to the fire. 

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire pouring from a window
of a second floor apartment. Fire crews were told that everyone had
escaped safely from the apartment and the apartments above, below and on
both sides of the apartment where the fire originated. 

Firefighters mounted an aggressive interior attack and had the fire
under control in less than 15 minutes. The apartment where the fire
originated, apartment 15, suffered heavy fire damage and smoke damage
was reported in several adjoining apartments. 

Fire investigators have determined the origin of the fire to be in a
bedroom of apartment 15. The cause of the fire was determined to be a
juvenile playing with a lighter. The grandmother of the juvenile was
alerted to the fire by smoke alarms sounding. Upon investigation she
found her grandchild in the bedroom where the fire was burning with the
lighter. Fire investigators recovered the lighter during the
investigation. 

Fire investigators continue to asses the damage to the apartment where
the fire originated and the other apartments which suffered smoke and
water damage. Estimates are not available at this time. The apartment
building was not equipped with automatic fire sprinklers. Smoke alarms
were present and did alert the occupant to the fire allowing them to
escape with no injuries. 

The Boone County Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the
occupants of apartment 15 with temporary housing, clothing and food.
Additional assistance may be offered as several residents of apartment
which suffered smoke and water damage were not home at the time of the
fire. 

Caregivers are reminded that lighters and matches should be stored out
of reach and, if possible, behind secured doors to prevent curious
children from playing with them. The National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) statistics show that in 2006, children playing with
fire started an estimated 14,500 structure fires that were reported to
U.S. fire departments, causing an estimated 130 civilian deaths, 810
civilian injuries and $328 million in direct property damage.
● Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of all fatal victims of fires by
playing are children 5 years-old and younger.
● Nearly two out of every three child-playing fires -- and four out
of five associated deaths and injuries -- involve matches or lighters.
● The items ignited by home fire-play are principally mattresses,
bedding or clothing.

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