Children Playing with Matches Sparks Fire in Long Beach

Children playing with matches sparked a non-injury fire in a two-story garden-style apartment building in Long Beach this morning, displacing six, authorities said.

The blaze at 1170 E. Market St. was reported at 9:48 a.m., firefighter- paramedic Jake Heflin said.

Smoke and flames were visible when the first firefighters arrived on scene at 9:51, Heflin said. About 25 firefighters responded and had the flames knocked down five minutes later, he said.

Two adults and four children were displaced, Heflin said.

An arson investigator ruled the fire accidental after learning that unattended children playing with matches in bed early this morning left something smoldering in an apartment’s bedroom, according to Heflin, who said the first-floor residence didn’t have working smoke alarms.

--City News Service

PHOTO Image via Shutterstock.

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