Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LAYTON — A home was set on fire by a 5-year-old with a lighter Wednesday, according to officials.
There were five kids and a 19-year-old in the home at the time of the 2-alarm fire, according to officials. They all evacuated the two-story home after they heard the smoke alarm just after 11 a.m.
There were no injuries, according to investigators. The home is in the 800 North and Fairfield Road area.
A 5-year-old child found a lighter and set a shirt on fire, investigators said. Small children are especially curious about matches and lighters, Layton fire spokesman Doug Bitton said.
"We need to teach children how dangerous lighters and matches can be, and parents need to keep those things high and away from children," he said.
There was smoke coming out of the West side of the home when the Layton Fire Department arrived. It took 30 minutes for 27 firefighters from Farmington, Kaysville, Syracuse and Layton fire departments to extinguish the fire.
Firefighters estimated there was more than $150,000 worth of damage done to the home. There were 12 family members displaced by the fire. They are being assisted by the Red Cross and their local church, Bitton said.
Contributing: Morgan Jacobsen and Richard Piatt
