Fire in Layton extinguished thanks to quick-thinking teen

Fire in Layton extinguished thanks to quick-thinking teen

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LAYTON — A Layton house fire was started by a candle, but the quick thinking of a teen resident prevented the blaze from spreading through the home.

Fire crews responded to a call at 2:51 p.m. of a structure fire in the 500 block of East Julie Drive.

The 911 caller reported there was one female still in the home. When firefighters arrived there was smoke coming from a front bedroom window, but everyone was out of the house.

Doug Bitton of the Layton City Fire Department said there were 13 family members at the home at the time of the fire, but most of them were in the backyard.

Two females were in the kitchen when they smelled smoke and alerted the household. A 17-year-old resident was upstairs, and he grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to douse the blaze that was in his 13-year-old brother's room.

“The swift action from the brother with using the fire extinguisher and closing the door helped slow the fire from extending to other rooms,” said Doug Bitton of the Layton City Fire Department. “Just by closing a door is proven to help block the fire from advancing for a short time.”

An investigation revealed a 13-year-old boy lit a candle and left it on a cardboard box in his room.

“The unattended candle and the child’s access to matches are a fire problem, let alone the placement of the candle by the youth,” Bitton said. “Parents keep small ones away from ignition items, but we must continue to monitor the access teens have with matches and lighters, education discussions are the key.”

Estimated damage is at $11,000. No residents or firefighters were harmed. The Red Cross is on scene to assist the family.

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