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Child playing with lighter starts fire

It started with a child playing with a lighter, and ended with a visit from some firefighters. The Humboldt Fire Department was called to a house fire on the 300 block of 2nd Ave. in Humboldt just after 4 p.m. on December 5.


It started with a child playing with a lighter, and ended with a visit from some firefighters.

The Humboldt Fire Department was called to a house fire on the 300 block of 2nd Ave. in Humboldt just after 4 p.m. on December 5.

When 10 firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire which was started in a cupboard over the fridge in the kitchen, was pretty well out, thanks to the quick action of a neighbour.

According to Humboldt RCMP, a nine-year-old child had been playing with a lighter, and started some papers in the cupboard on fire.

The child and a younger sibling, who were alone in the house at the time, got frightened, called 9-1-1 and went to a neighbour's house for help, reported Fire Chief Norbert LeBlanc. That neighbour went over to the house, and threw some wet towels on the fire, extinguishing it.

Had the children not called for help, the house would likely have been fully involved in flame before anyone noticed a fire, LeBlanc noted.

Both the Humboldt Fire Department and the Humboldt RCMP advised parents to keep lighters and matches away from children, and to not leave young children unattended in the home.

The Humboldt Fire Department was at the scene of the fire for about half an hour, making sure the fire was out completely.

No charges will be laid in this matter, RCMP reported.

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