TAS: Kids playing with lighter likely cause of fatal blaze

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2004
TAS: Kids playing with lighter likely cause of fatal blaze

Children playing with a cigarette lighter may have started a house fire that killed
a two-year-old girl in Tasmania.

Detective Inspector RICHARD COWLING says six children under the age of five were in
the Gagebrook house in Hobart's northern suburbs when the fire broke out yesterday afternoon.

He says four adults were at the front of the house.

Fire crews called to the home about 5.40pm (AEST) found the toddler's body after extinguishing
the blaze.

Inspector COWLING says early indications are that one of the children playing with
a cigarette lighter started the fire.

It's believed one of the adults tried to go back into the burning house to save the
little girl, but was driven back by smoke and flames.

Forensic experts are at the scene.

AAP RTV las/mj/jmt

KEYWORD: FIRE TAS (HOBART)

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