TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - A house fire started Thursday after a 5-year-old boy was playing with fire in the backyard.
Tucson Fire Capt. Barrett Baker says the fire broke out at a home in the 6700 block of East Stella. Initial crews saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the backyard.
Investigators consider this fire accidental after they learned that a 5-year-old boy was playing with matches and a small fire quickly spread to items in the backyard and then the home.
An energized power line also fell down, making it unsafe for firefighters to access the backyard. Baker says the flames burned up the wooden support around the service line to the home.
Tucson Fire says the boy ran into the house and told the adults that he had started a fire and all three people living at the home escaped unharmed.
9OYS spoke to the owner of the home off camera who said she's live there 40 years and she lost nearly all of her personal items, including photographs of her late husband.
She is working with her insurance company and Red Cross is also assisting the family. The home appears to be a total loss.
Baker says parents should try and keep matches and lighters away from young children.
"If the child does show any kind of curiosity about the fire then please call us we'll have you come down we'll sit and try to educate the kids about what happens when that curiosity can turn into far worse," said Baker.
Baker says in this case, the boy will likely go through some kind of education with his parents. Baker says for children older than 8-years-old in these situations, they do have a monthly class that teaches them about the dangers of fire. He says after age 14, the child could face charges.
