New York State Five Year-Old Severely Burned In Bed Fire

Five-year-old Lakeet Grady, whom neighbors described as a polite boy who liked to ride his bike, was listed in poor condition Monday at the Shriners' Hospital in Boston after being injured when a fire broke out in his Clinton Street home late Sunday, authorities said.

Grady was taken to the hospital with burns to his legs and feet, suffered when he set his mattress on fire while playing with a lighter, officials said. The hospital lists conditions on a four-step scale: good, fair, poor or critical.

The fire at 68 Clinton St. was reported at 10:03 p.m. Sunday, according to Battalion Chief Bill Hummel. He said the fire had reached 66 Clinton St. by the time firefighters arrived.

Though flames licked the attached houses, damage was limited, officials said. The family on the first floor at 68 Clinton St. was able to move back in early Monday, said Department of Public Safety spokesman Detective James Miller.

He said the fire was traced to the boy playing with a lighter in his second-floor bedroom and setting the mattress on fire.

"He's a good boy," said Yvette Banks, 38, a neighbor whose 6-year-old son, John-ta Turpin, often rides his bike on the block with Grady and other neighborhood kids. "He's well-mannered. He listens," said Banks, who said Grady was a student at the Giffen School.

Hummel said the fire was under control in just under an hour and firefighters were at the scene for about 2 hours.