Mother Starts Home Fire While Children at Home

An 8-year old little boy saw his mother attempting to start a fire in the kitchen in an attempt to burn their house down. He told fire fighters that he tried to stop her by smashing the lighter she was using. The mother proceeded to find another way to ignite the blaze and set the kitchen on fire.

The 8-year-old was able to gather up his three siblings, escape the house, and run to a neighbor’s house for help. The neighbor called 911 and when fire crews arrived they were able to contain the fire to the kitchen and easily extinguish it. As they were putting out the flames, they found a woman who was still in the house.

When the firemen interviewed the 8-year-old, he told them about watching his mother start the fire on purpose. After checking the mother out at the hospital, she was arrested. The four children were released to family members.

Water Mold Fire of Dallas thinks that it is extremely important to teach children about fire safety. Apparently the 8-year-old had received some instruction, even if it didn’t come from his mother. He knew what to do: Get your family out and go for help.

Here are some tips on fire safety you should teach to your children:

1. Talk About Smoke Detectors – kids need to hear the alarm, recognize what it is, and associate the sound with fire danger.

2. Escape Routes – show children two ways out of every room in your house. Once out of the house, they should know where to go to meet and where to go for help.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice – teach them how to open windows, how to push out screens, how to use an escape ladder. Then actually do it. Run through an emergency scenario. Make these actions become a habit.

4. Use Hands, Not Eyes – Teach kids to escape by crawling, feeling their way with their hands. Use a blindfold as practice.

5. Once Out Stay Out – never, ever, for any reason, should your child or anyone else reenter a home that is on fire. It may be a cruel thing to say but Fluffy or Fido can be replaced, you can’t!

If your home is ever involve in a fire, call Water Mold Fire of Dallas, (972) 559-4244 for help. We have years of experience and are nationally certified in fire and smoke damage restoration. We answer our phones 24/7 for any type of emergency and our initial inspection will cost you absolutely nothing.