Kids playing with matches have caused nearly $225,000 in related fire damage to five homes in the past 10 days - including a two-story home that partially went up in flames Thursday night in a North Redwood neighborhood.
In the fifth child-caused incident in Salt Lake County in less than two weeks, fire officials say a 7-year-old started the latest house blaze at 585 N. Morton Drive (1960 West) after a tree caught fire and ignited the roof.Like the previous fires, there were no injuries.
But Salt Lake Fire Battalion Assistant Dennis McKone said that may soon end.
"Next time, who knows what could happen. We've been lucky there haven't been any real injuries."
Thursday's fire, which began just after 8 p.m., caused an estimated $60,000 in damage as flames quickly spread from a tree near the south end of the house up onto the roof and underneath the eaves.
McKone said the 7-year-old and a few other kids were playing with matches when the tree caught fire. As many as 20 firefighters contained the blaze in about 30 minutes, which mostly affected the attic, roof and a bedroom.
Five children and two adults residing at the house were not inside at the time of the fire. Red Cross officials were on scene to help find the displaced family a place to stay.
McKone said the child will be referred to the department's juvenile fire-setter program, which is designed to help young children understand the consequences of playing with flames.
Other fires that investigators say were caused by children over the past 10 days include:
- A house fire Tuesday that gutted a bedroom and spread to the attic and roof of an East Central City home after a 3-year-old was playing with a cigarette lighter. Damage to the home, 216 S. 1100 East, was listed at $45,000.
- Another blaze Tuesday in West Salt Lake where kids playing in a nearby field started a fire that spread to a house at 437 S. Concord Street (1250 West). Damage: $30,000.
- A Magna home that suffered $40,000 in fire, smoke and water damage Monday after juveniles setting off fireworks in the area caused a blaze, county fire officials said. A countywide fireworks ban remained in effect at the time of the blaze, Salt Lake County Fire Capt. Frank Dalton said.
- More than $50,000 damage to a Taylorsville duplex July 2, when a closet ignited after an 8-year-old was playing with matches.
Anyone interested in the fire-setter program should contact McKone at 799-4105.