In Thursday's fire, Mark Smith and his 3-year-old son escaped a burning duplex where heavy smoke poured out a second-story window. The two were treated for smoke inhalation at a hospital and released, officials said.
Fire Chief Dan Brown said the youngster was playing with a lighter that set fire to a mattress. It was ruled accidental.
On Monday, 6-month-old April Mae Hansen died in a mobile home blaze believed to have been caused by a 6-year-old child playing with a lighter.
``I think children have a natural curiosity for fire, and we just have to make sure and educate them on the dangers of playing with matches and lighters,'' Brown said, adding that it is also important to keep those objects out of reach from children.
Children of all ages set more than 100,000 fires annually, and approximately 20,000 of those fires are set in homes, the U.S. Fire Administration reports.
