CHALMETTE, La. — A child playing with a lighter lit a fire at their Chalmette home Sunday morning, hurting themselves and two siblings.
Less than four minutes after firefighters got the call for help, they were on the scene of a house fire at a single-story home in the 3900 block of Despaux Drive.
A dozen firefighters, four fire engine companies and others responded to the call for help, and it took them less than 15 minutes to bring the fire under control.
Less than 30 minutes after the call for help, the fire was out. It was 11:03 a.m.
Lit by a five-year-old child, the fire was isolated to the bedroom where the child was playing with a lighter. Also in that room was a sleeping sibling, one of two 12-year-olds.
Paramedics on the scene treated all three children for minor injuries, but their mother insisted on them being taken to Children's Hospital in New Orleans.
Fire officials said they don't expect the children to be admitted overnight.
The five-year-old child and one of the older siblings had minor smoke inhalation, and the third child had a minor burn to the back of the hand.
Officials said fires like this one are why they spend so much of their time working with local schools to teach children at a young age not to play with fire.
St. Bernard Parish Fire Department Deputy Chief Michael Le Beau told WWLTV that adults have a role to play in preventing fires like this also.
"It's very important to teach children fire safety practices," Le Beau said. "We stress heavily that adults keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children."
Le Beau said children will be curious and try to mimic adults.
"Children want to learn," the deputy fire chief said. "They see their parents lighting candles or setting a campfire — and they want to be young adults someday too."
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