Kid playing with lighter causes South Side fire

YOUNGSTOWN — A child playing with a lighter started a fire that did $16,000 damage to a house at 545 Cameron Ave.

Firefighters said flames were coming from the second-floor windows when they arrived on the scene shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday. There were four children in the home with a baby sitter and all got out safely, firefighters said.

The child who stated the blaze is about 5 years old and was igniting papers and throwing them onto a bed, firefighters said. The baby sitter attempted to put out the fire before calling 911, firefighters said, noting that flames spread through part of the second floor and into the attic and the second-floor porch before the fire was brought under control.