HOUSTON—Houston Fire Department Arson investigators have determined that a child playing with a lighter on a couch caused a fire at a northwest Houston home Tuesday morning.
HFD was dispatched to a home in the 400 block of East 43rd Street and Arlington around 9 a.m. Firefighters arrived within 3 minutes and found light smoke coming from the house.
A father standing outside when firefighters arrived told them he could not find his son.
Firefighters went inside and found a couch on fire. They extinguished the flames, then searched for the missing child.
The boy was found hiding behind a recliner and was brought to safety. He was crying, but was not harmed. He was transported to the hospital as a precaution.
“We’re assuming the kid might have started it, but at this time it is under investigation,” said District Chief Thomas Ponce.
The chief’s hunch was right. It was later determined the boy had been playing with fire on the couch, then panicked.
Chief Ponce said the little boy did what most children do when they are faced with danger.
“He immediately hid and was very scared, that is what they do. They hide right away,” Chief Ponce said.
Officials said parents should teach children to do the opposite in the event of a fire. Children should be taught to never hide indoors; they should immediately search for a clear exit. They should be taught the key word is “outside” in the event of a fire.
Parents should have regular drills at home and help children find routes to safety. They should also should be shown the “red alert” spots, or the places they should never go: under the bed, in the closet or any rooms where there are no windows.
Children should also know where fire extinguishers are located and should be able to recognize the sound of a smoke detector. They should also know the outdoor rendezvous spots if the family is separated.
The child has been referred to the HFD FireStoppers Program. The FireStoppers’ goal is to provide the proper education and any other needed intervention for each child that has played with or has set fires to stop the fire-setting before it leads to further injury, death, homeless families or problems with the law. Firestoppers tries to turn the event of fire-setting into a positive opportunity for education and assistance.
Concerned parents, teachers, members of social services and the Houston Fire Department all refer youths to try to cease their fire-setting behavior. This free program is for children 2 to 17 years of age. Parents concerned that they may be judged as poor parents or seen as over-reacting, do not need to worry because the purpose of the program is to provide education for the child and family’s safety. For more information, citizens may call 713-247-8826.
