Authorities: Boys playing with lighter caused fire
No smoke detectors were found in the house.
YOUNGSTOWN — The fire at 2486 McCartney Road a week ago that seriously injured a woman and her granddaughter was caused by boys playing with a lighter that ignited their toy box.
Lt. Kevin Johnson said Wednesday that the boys, 5 and 11, tried to put the fire out by bringing water from the sink. The boys and family dog made it out safely but the fire spread from the boys’ front bedroom to the hallway, with thick smoke trapping Marleen Felder, 54, who uses a wheelchair, and Daresha Brown, 12, in their back bedrooms.
Felder and Daresha were resuscitated by firefighters at the scene around 12:30 a.m. May 23. Both remain hospitalized.
Lessons learned
The situation was made worse by no smoke detectors in the house and a delay in calling the fire department, Johnson said. The first call to 911 came from a next-door neighbor, he said.
Johnson said five more lighters were found in the house, so apparently an adult smoker lived there.
The boys, Felder’s grandsons, will be enrolled in the Junior FireStarter program, said Capt. Alvin Ware. The free educational program teaches the dangers of fire.
Ware said the house was gutted by the fire.
Fire Chief John J. O’Neill Jr. said the fire shows the need for working smoke detectors. He said, too, that everyone should have an evacuation plan.