The smoldering remains of a 9-year-old's cigarette touched off a house fire early Sunday in St. Paul, a fire official said.
At 1:21 a.m., fire crews were summoned to 1305 Madison St., where heavy smoke was pouring from the house, said Deputy St. Paul Fire Chief Mike Hogan.
Officials say they quickly contained the fire, which started in the bedding of the 9-year-old's bedroom.
The youth and the other occupants made it out of the home safely, but the 9-year-old was taken to Children's Hospital in St. Paul briefly to be treated for smoke inhalation.
The boy, along with another child and an adult, were to spend Sunday night in a local hotel rather than in the smoke-damaged home, according to fire officials and the St. Paul chapter of the American Red Cross.
Hours before the fire, it is believed, the 9-year-old and a friend were playing with cigarettes, Hogan said. The friend reportedly went home and the 9-year-old went to bed, only to awaken as the mattress and bedding caught fire. The home had working smoke alarms, Hogan said.
The fire, which caused about $5,000 in damage, has been ruled an accident.
But the investigation continued Sunday as authorities tried to determine whether an adult was around at the time or whether anyone knew the youths were playing with the cigarettes, Hogan said. In Minnesota, the legal smoking age is 18.
FIRE SAFETY TIPS
The Minnesota Safety Council offers this fire safety checklist for parents:
Are matches and cigarette lighters stored out of children's sight and reach?
Have children been taught to tell an adult if they find matches or lighters?
Have you identified and eliminated fire and burn hazards in your home?
Do you know basic first aid for burns?
Is there a working smoke alarm on each floor of your home?
Do you have and know how to use a fire extinguisher?
Do you have a family escape plan? Does your family practice it?
Have you taught your children how to report an emergency?
Do your children know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothes catch on fire?
