Family escapes fire

NILES

A family of nine escaped a 6:35 a.m. fire in the basement of a house at 833 Robbins Ave. without injury Thursday.

The family was out of the house by the time firefighters arrived. The fire was contained to the basement, but there was also smoke damage throughout the home, the Niles Fire Department said – noting one of two children in the basement admitted starting the fire with a lighter.